My Happy After : Bookworms and Booya vol 5
by mintbaby
Summary: The expected euphoria of the perfect honeymoon is quick to change to the adventure of a lifetime as Zell and Sally find a mysterious chest that unlocks the key to a powerful entity; an Esper. Terra Figaro.
1. Beginning Afters

_**My Happy After**_

_**...volume 5 of the Bookworms & Booya! saga...  
**_

_For shy Sally Regal the expected euphoria of the perfect honeymoon is quick to change to a challenge of communication. Add to that a mysterious chest filled with ancient treasures and visits from magical creatures and pre-dating known history she is set for the adventure of a lifetime._

The characters within this story and the world they live in are the property of SQUARE-Enix®. They are used without permission and not to be seen as my property. The character of Zachari Tahlson is my own creation. He is not to be used without permission.

* * *

**One › Beginning Afters ‹**

_I'm not alone._

That was the first thing that ran through my mind when I opened my eyes to the soft sound of breathing in my ear. And when it slowly dawned that _Zell Dincht_'s arms held me tight against that very welcome warmth? I smiled a silly smile with a sillier giggle as a chorus of silly angels sang _I'm married!_ inside my head.

This was day-one of my fairytale 'Happy Ever After'.

Turning in the circle of Zell's arms, I snuggled my head beneath his chin and pressed my cheek against his chest. He still wore his tuxedo's black slacks from the wedding and Balamb and Deling Garden receptions, but he'd stripped down to his undershirt. I'd put on my P.J.s - cute jersey-knit ones of pink with white bunnies.

I love bunnies!

My arms surrounded him and I sighed, remembering back to that first time I had ever slept with Zell. In the Quad at our first date. What a wonderful glimpse at the future that waited for us. But what a shock for poor little ole me at the time! I softly sniggered.

"Mornin'," Zell greeted sleepily, his arms tightening around me. He breathed in deep and let it out quickly. "What time is it?"

Shrugging, I released another happy sigh and admitted "I don't care." Then I snuggled closer and softly urged him to "Go back to sleep." I wanted to have this 'morning after' as long as possible. It didn't matter to me if we snuggled and cuddled until that night. Yesterday Sally Regal - the library girl - had married Zell Dincht, and I wanted to have this moment to romanticize and fantasize to my silly heart's content.

Before the 'timid me' woke up.

"OK," he adorably mumbled, yawning, "but we've gotta go at ten.…" Then he breathed deep and drew me a little closer, the rhythm of his breathing slowly altering to that of sleep.

Reluctantly, I opened my eyes, but only long enough to look at the sun's position in the sky - our room had a back patio that looked out over the water - and try to judge the time. I smiled and closed my eyes again. It was barely dawn - four o'clock - which meant we had at least six hours before we had to be at the dock. Then the best three weeks of my life would begin the rest of my fairytale romance: A honeymoon on a yacht with my sweetie sailing around the world.

My thumbs began a soft and calming stroke on Zell's back as I listened to him sleep, feeling his steady and slow heartbeat beating almost perfectly in sync with mine. It was the best possible moment in my imagination. For years and months I tried to picture what it would be like to be married to my sweetie, but all of it had seemed so far-fetched and impossible.

Now, cuddled against him in my silly P.J.s and him in his tuxedo slacks and undershirt, it still seemed far-fetched and impossible.

I mean, we'd stayed up most of the night dancing in the middle of our room here at Balamb Hotel, not saying a word as the reality of being married settled into every corner of our mind. Then the exhaustion from the constant emotional high had hit us like a ton of bricks. So, as Zell stripped out of his tuxedo jacket, dress shirt, and shoes and socks, I'd gone into the bathroom and changed into my P.J.s, knowing it would be impossible to sleep in my strapless dress.

Then, barely able to walk from the bathroom to the bed because of being so tired, we had scrambled into bed - too tired to even scurry under the covers - and just held each other as we drifted to sleep. I sighed. The last thing Zell had whispered before I'd drifted to dreams and future fantasies had been "...sleep tight, Sally Dincht.…"

And what an escort to dreams!

Mom had warned me that we probably wouldn't be intimate the first night. My Aunt Marie, my mom's sister, hadn't been either. The fact she was shy and modest like me made me feel better, too. Especially since she and my Uncle had been married for 10 years now and still seemed as happy as day-one. _"Just don't be ashamed if you feel you should ask Zell to wait, hon. I'm sure he'll understand, and he and your Papa have already had a talk or two about what to expect."_

Now, my happy and silly smile returned as I lightly kissed Zell's chest, not caring it was all t-shirt and no skin. The fact that my parents and Zell got along so well never ceased to make me more-than-happy. It was as if I had not only found a best friend in Zell, but that I'd found my parents another part of the family. Even my older brother Zack - I could just kill him for missing the wedding - had taken to Zell like a kid to a puppy.

Okay. Maybe that isn't the best analogy.

But who wouldn't have fun with Zell. So easy-going and quick to get a laugh, it was like hanging out with… with… I don't know. He was just so… wonderful. An inspiration to me to be more than the shy little girl hiding in the corner afraid to interact with life because of what could happen. Instead, he'd shown me to look for the good 'could's and make them happen, learning from the not-so-great things to make life a little more fun. A little more happy. A little more.

Even Zack had noticed enough to comment. Zell and I had just begun planning the wedding and had gone to Timber to get some ideas from my parents. Zack had actually had a free day - I think Quistis had forced him out of the office to spend time with us - and had spent it with me. Zell had gone with Dad to some travel broker to help get the honeymoon plans started while Mom had gone to re-open the pet store after lunch. So, Zack and I had gone walking around Timber joshing back and forth and reminiscing.…

"_You're different than you were before, munchkin," Zack said as we stood in the center of the bridge over the train-tracks eating ice cream cones._

"_I am?" I asked absently, wiping up a drip that had landed on my pale-blue t-shirt._

_Zack's smile widened and he gave my arm a nudge, drawing my attention from my drip and napkin. "I never thought I'd see the day."_

"_The day?" I captured another soon-to-be-drip with my tongue. "The day for what?"_

"_The day my baby sis quit hiding in the background." To my surprise, Zack reached over to surround my shoulders with his arm and give me a hug. "But it makes me feel old, you getting married. You were supposed to be my baby sis for longer than this."_

_I giggled and wrapped my arm around him to rest my head against him. "I'll always be your 'baby sis', Zee. No matter what."_

_Zack gave me a jostle and kissed the top of my head. "You're too sweet for words, munch, and I'm glad you finally found someone that understands you."_

To have Zack say that about me and Zell had ushered on a completely different type of realistic and yet romantic euphoria. I mean, if someone cynical about relationships like Zack had something encouraging to say, I knew Zell and I would be more-than-fine.

Zell mumbled in his sleep and rolled over onto his back, bringing me home from reminiscing as his hold on me loosened to only his left arm around me. I snuggled into his side, my hand resting oh-so-comfortably on his chest as my thumb again softly stroked his skin through his t-shirt. _Is this really happening?_

I looked up at his handsome face and smiled, carefully reaching up and lightly brushing at his blonde hair. He looked so much older when he didn't have his spike. More serious. I smiled and carefully pulled the front hair up into a spike, stifling a giggle when it remained. He would be 'Zell' whether he had spikes or not.

His arm tightened a bit around me before loosening again, causing a smile. Believing that little action to be more sweet and adorable than anything, I placed a soft kiss on his cheek. Then I sighed and relaxed against him, closing my eyes and drifting back to sleep.

***

_Rock. On. Dincht._

That was pretty much the only thing my brain could hold on to as I stared at the ceiling and listened to Sally breathing and whispering in her sleep. I mean, dude! I was married! To Sally! How the hell did a screw-off like me marry someone like her? Seifer would've said _"Dumb-ass luck, chicken-wuss. Nothing but dumb-ass luck."_

I lowered my focus to Sally and smiled, my arm drawing her a little closer as I pressed a kiss against her forehead. Her lips tilted upward and she took in and released a deep breath as she snuggled closer. Then she relaxed against me and it made me feel better-than-awesome. Booya!-awesome.

Yeah.

Letting out a deep breath, I looked out onto the back deck. The sun reported it to be about seven. We had to have breakfast and make sure our luggage made it to the yacht so that we could be out of the dock by ten, but.… Looking down at Sally as she slept, the sleep-crease on her cheek and her hair poking out of her braids and all messy on top? I couldn't wake her.

Seifer, Irvine, and the gang would've laughed their butts clean off.

I hadn't expected it be like this. I thought I'd jump her the minute the door was closed. But I guess an entire day of being on emotional steroids and entertaining all those people knocked us out. Who knew? All day Winhill had been running through my mind, and the time in the new apartment, and all the good dreams I'd been having… Man!But I'd been so… floored with everything that I couldn't do anything but stare at her and those sexy eyes like chocolate and her timid smile and think to myself _'...the hell?!'_

Now, as I stared down at her sleeping against me in her sexy-as-anything bunny-pajamas and the rings on her fingers that rested on my chest, I think I was still hung up on that phrase. _Three weeks, Dincht? What were you thinking? _There was no way I could survive three weeks with the Mega-Phoenix without dying from an overdose of something.

Sally took in a deep breath and happily mumbled "Sally Elizabeth Dincht" before giggling and moving her arms to completely surround me. She gave a tight squeeze and then sighed deep and relaxed. _Dincht… the hell?!_

Yeah. I'd be saying that a lot.

I released a quick breath and then carefully pulled her arms from around me to roll her onto her other side. She mumbled something as she sighed deep, so I whispered "You sleep, kitten. I'm gonna take a shower," into her ear and kissed her cheek. She tightly hugged her pillow and then gave a happy coo of a sigh before her breathing deepened in sleep again.

Giving a shake of my head to clear the images of Sally in pink panties with bunnies -

_ahem_ - I rolled off the bed and trudged toward the bathroom, scrubbing at my scalp and grimacing when I tasted my own foul breath. _Geez, Dincht! You kissed her with that mouth?! _But how was I supposed to not kiss her when she was wearing pink P.J.s with bunnies and she was sleeping in my bed and dreaming about saying her name like that?

I gave another head-shake to free thoughts of her in that leather number I'd brought, and made my way into the bathroom to crank on the shower and strip out of my tux slacks-

"Aw crap." I held them up and frowned. It was going to take me at least an hour to iron the wrinkles out, and I couldn't pack them looking like this. They'd be ruined forever, and what kind of memory would that be?

Grumbling, I tossed them onto the counter and then stripped the rest of the way to turn and step into the shower. "Brrr!" I yelped, and quickly reached out to crank the hot water.

When I heard Sally's recognizable giggle a few moments later, I tensed and couldn't even get my brain to work.

"You're supposed to wait until it's warm, silly boy." I heard the **zip** of her small overnight bag opening and then she warned, "I'm gonna use a little cold water," just before she wet her toothbrush and began brushing her teeth.

I swallowed hard and turned the hot water off, thanking my lucky stars that the shower door wasn't see-through.

"Awww. Your tuxedo's wrinkled," she said through toothpaste foam and toothbrush.

I smirked and measured some of the travel-size shampoo into my palm. "Yeah. That's okay, though. I'll just drop it off at the cleaners and have them deliver it to Garden when it's done."

She spat, and I nearly laughed at the mental image of Sally in her bunny P.J.s with toothpaste foam around her lips spitting into the sink.

"I can steam them, Zell. I brought a travel-sized steamer in my larger carry-on." Then I heard her continue brushing her teeth.

"That's okay. I'll make you do my laundry after the honeymoon's over." _Like hell! I'm not gonna make her do my laundry! She's got her own! _But how awesome was it to say something like that? I hated doing laundry, and I knew she wouldn't mind doing mine. She'd probably insist. She was just like that.

She giggled. "Zell, it's not a problem. I would hate to have you pay someone to do it when I've got the steamer."

_See? _I smirked. "Seriously, Meg. Don't sweat it. This is a vacation, and I don't want you working on anything but me." I grinned when she giggled again with a softly said, "Zell," that was full of toothpaste foam.

She spat again, gargled - which I would never have imagined in a million years - and then retrieved something else from her small over-night bag. When I heard the steady **swush-swush-swish**, I knew she had to be brushing her hair. She'd let me brush her hair a few times when we were hanging out at her apartment watching movies with Selphie, Marshal, and Janine, and it'd been the weirdest thing. Not bad-weird, just… weird. I mean, why does a guy like brushing a girl's hair? Sure it's soft and usually smells like some kind of fruit or something, but it's just… It's just hair. Yeah. Just hair, but I'd really, really liked brushing it.

_Really, really_ liked it.

I squeezed my eyes shut tight and stepped under the cold water to keep myself from pulling her in. _…wet hair… wet P.J.s… wet- Dincht!_

Then she set the brush on the counter and I heard the soft collection of **twang**s as she put her hair up in a ponytail.

"I'm going to go sit on the back deck, sweetie."

I cleared my throat, "Okay," and balled my hands into fists as I heard the sexier than sexy pit-pat of her bare feet on the tiled floor of the bathroom. _Now, erm, tell me again why we couldn't shower together? _Besides the fact she'd die of embarrassment if I offered? I grimaced and scrubbed at my scalp. _Oh yeah. The whole 'naked' thing. _This was Sally we were talking about. The last thing I wanted to see on her face was horror.

"Chill," I mumbled. "You guys'll work up to it. Remember what Pop said? It'll be fine."

Sally was worth a few days' worth of cold showers.

***

I tucked my legs tighter against me, adjusting my arms around them as I rested my chin between them, the sound of the water against the shower walls pelting me with a question over and over and over again. _'Why? Why? Why?'_

Closing my eyes and hiding my face in the blanket around my legs, I couldn't answer. When I had heard Zell's 'Aw crap', I had wanted so badly to look and see what had made him say it in such a tone of irritation. But the door had been closed. The water had been running. Plus, the idea of seeing him- I flushed and tightened my arms around my legs again. Seeing each other naked was… it was a very embarrassing thought for me still. I didn't know why. I mean, we were married. It was okay. I was… curious, but.…

I released a deep breath, remembering how the 'want' to be in the room with him and discovering why he'd said 'aw crap' had kept pushing at my insides. Then the sound of the shower door opening and closing and his yelp.… I hadn't been able to keep myself out anymore. We were married. It was okay for me to be in the bathroom with my husband. It was okay for me to brush my teeth while he took a shower. I wanted to brush my teeth while he took a shower.

If I was honest with myself, I actually wanted to take a shower with him.

Groaning with embarrassment, it immediately became a silly giggle. It was all Seifer's fault, putting the idea of fancy underwear and showers in my head. I mean, for heaven sake, I didn't need to be having thoughts like those. It was easy enough to imagine him shirtless and in boxers - like the evening I'd woken him to give him his ring - and then I remembered how it had felt to be kissed by him.…

Giggling again, I did a slight foot dance on the seat of my chair as I happily shrugged my shoulders and again whispered my new name. _It'll come, Sally. You really love him. He really loves you. He's seen you in your swimsuit without your t-shirt, and you've seen him in his swimtrunks.… Sure, it's not the same as down to his nothings but, well, you love him and he loves you. Just don't think about it. Just… just enjoy Zell Dincht. It'll come when you're ready. Mom promised._

I sighed deep and lifted my head- Zell smiled, crouched as he was in front of me in shorts and a t-shirt and slicked back hair. He looked more than awesome in wet hair. I smiled. "Hi."

"Hi." He gave my big toes a pinch. "It got kinda wild out here. I wanted to make sure you weren't getting kidnapped."

My eyes crinkled at the corners as I shook my head and squeezed my legs. "Nope."

Zell chuckled and then straightened, lifting me up with his hands under my arm pits and putting me over his shoulder as I squealed. "Come on, you. Let's go have some breakfast. I'm starved."

"But I'm in my P.J.s!"

"Duh. I'm calling room service. You go take a shower and get all prettified, not that you don't look hot in your P.J.s."

I giggled and gave his back a rub. Then he set me down onto my feet in front of the bathroom and kissed my forehead before turning me toward the open bathroom door and giving a gentle push and a "Shoo." He immediately gave my bottom a pat, too, welcoming the flutter and the burning of my cheeks.

Giggling, I sent my cutest smile over my shoulder as I paused in the doorway of the bathroom. Janine probably would have said 'Wanna come?' I wanted to, but I just couldn't get the words out.

Zell sent me a softer smile. "Go on, Meg. I'll get breakfast and then we'll watch TV in bed until about nine. Okay?"

I silently nodded and then stepped into the bathroom, closing the door and leaning against it with a sigh as I pressed my forehead against the wood.

Throughout the shower, getting dressed and 'prettified', and braiding my hair I couldn't do anything but try and plan a way to try and get used to the 'naked' idea. Before I could come up with even a basic option, I had to think back on all the times I had been around Zell without my usual uniform, jeans, or workout clothes.

Considering I didn't like being outside of a desk in the short skirt of my uniform, that made it to the top-section of my 'I'm embarrassed to wear these in public' list. Since the yacht wasn't as public as Garden, the library, or even the security office, I figured it might not be as big an issue. Well, maybe 'challenge' was the better word. After all, as I'd noted before, I could wear my swimsuit in front of him without 'Beach Bunny'.

So, while we ate our breakfast and watched the _Timber Wolves_ game on the t.v. sitting cross-legged back in the pillows, I came up with a couple possibilities. The first one was to change our clothes in front of each other, even if that meant only being in the same room, to at least break the ice. I mean, underwear sometimes covered more than bathing suits! At least for me it did. I still wore tank t-shirts over my.... well... you know.

Then, when that was accepted as a necessary initial step, I pushed onto the next one, not noticing that my expression became more and more thoughtful and my bites slower and slower.

When Zell gave me a nudge and a boyish grin while asking "Watcha thinkin'?" I flushed clear to my toes.

"I think I've got a good plan for helping with, uh, for helping me get ready for.…"

Zell surrounded me with an arm and gave me a jostle and a squeeze. "Hey, what's the deal? You're my favorite color."

I smiled, even though I felt as if I'd melt. "I know. It's because, well, I, uh, have an idea for helping me get ready to be… You know."

Confusion drew his brows together in a frown. "Uh..." He scratched at his head.

Giggling, I whispered the word "Naked," in his ear.

"Oh! That!" he said, ears and face turning pink. "Don't worry about that, Meg. I told you. We'll work up to it. We have three weeks."

I sat up a little. "Zell, I don't want to wait until the last day of the last week to be able to.…" I flushed darker, which of course made Zell's boyish smile return. "So, I've come up with a plan to help. It should only take about a week at the most. Maybe less."

The smile became more lopsided.

I giggled yet again and gave him a soft shove. "What are you looking at me like that for?"

"Never mind." He clicked off the t.v. and then leaned back into the pillows, arms crossed. "So what's your idea?"

_You're so cute! _Especially when he listened like that, even if he did look like he was silently laughing at me. I scooted closer, which of course invited him to put his arm around me - yay! - and then I focused on my hands as I numbered off the points. "The most important duty, at first, would be to 'break the ice', I think. So I thought changing our clothes would be a good way to start that, even if we just keep our backs to each other the first time."

"Can I peek?"

Blushing as dark a shade of crimson as I could, I softly giggled. "Well, I guess. Since we're married, but just don't tell me when. I don't want to know."

"You're going to peek, too, right? I mean. That's kinda the whole point?"

Okay. So it wasn't going to be as easy an initial step as I thought it would be. "Oh. Um.…" I worried my lower lip. "Yeah… I guess I would need to, huh? Hm. I suppose I didn't think that through enough."

Zell snickered and gave me a squeeze. "Sally… Chill out. You've seen me in my boxers before, so it won't be a big deal. I'll just make sure I don't wear the ones Marshal got me."

Okay, so I could get more red.

"Ooo. I've never seen that color before!"

I gasped and looked up, giving him a hard shove the same moment the embarrassment burst out in a silly giggle. I couldn't help it. I was the Giggle Queen. Just ask Zack.

Zell shoved back, which resulted in a short-lived shoving, tussling, and mild tickling instance similar to what we'd done for months already. I always loved those, though I couldn't say why. He never let me win any, and I usually accidentally hit an embarrassing spot (well, what I thought was embarrassing anyway) when trying to get him into any kind of helpless position. He mostly always went for my wrists, which was completely unfair! How could I do anything when he had me by the hands? Although I'd been working on some strategies using body weight and legs, only I didn't get the chance to use them in this match.

We had to cut it short when he wrestled me onto my back, kicking over our trays in the process. He and I burst out laughing as we quickly sat up and gathered the half-eaten pieces of toast and sausage. Thank goodness I had eaten all my eggs. That would have been really gross.

"Aw man," Zell complained, still laughing. "They're going to kill us. Look at the grease."

"I'll soak it in the sink with some soap and hot water. Don't worry about it. I'm sure they've had worse." When I met his gaze, we both started laughing again.

That laughter really made me feel more at ease. Talking about the 'getting ready to be naked' was really hard for me. But like usual, Zell being 'Zell' had found a way to push past that. _See? It'll be okay. Just keep trying. What did Mom say? It takes 30 days to make a habit? _Sure I didn't have 30 days, but if I tried hard enough I bet I could do this in a week, just like I'd said. I think it had taken less time than that - if I counted only consecutive days - to get to the point where I could leave 'Beach Bunny' off when in my swimsuit.

Zell followed me into the bathroom with the mattress sheet and pushed up onto the counter as I ran the water and waited for it to heat up. "So what's after the 'changing in the same room'?"

I kept my focus on my fingers under the stream of water. "Since I'm more comfortable wearing my swimsuit around you than what I was, I could wear just that at first. Maybe with shorts and no top, or just with a tank tee and no shorts. Then when we go to Fisherman's Horizon on our way to Mom and Dad's, I thought maybe I could go and pick up a bikini." My face flushed crimson.

Zell whistled through his teeth.

Sending him a glance, I rubbed the soap on the grease spots and scrubbed them under the hot water. "Like I did with my other swimsuit at first, I could wear it with shorts and a shirt. Then, when I'm more comfortable, wear it without." I sent him another sidelong glance to intercept a smile that sent a tingle all the way around and then again. "For you, you could go around shirtless and then, maybe, just with your… boxers… ahem."

Laughing, Zell hopped down from the counter and then drew me close against him, placing a kiss on the back of my neck that gave me the shivers. "Man! That sounds fun! Like a long strip-tease."

I voiced a soft protest of "Zell!" as I flicked water at him, but I had to admit he was right. That thought had my stomach flipping and flopping all over the place with nervousness and… expectation. I would give him his honeymoon.

I just had to work up to it.


	2. Plan of Change

**Two ‹ The Plan of Change ›**

"You're kidding me." Zell wrinkled up his forehead in concentration at the card I had played before looking up. "You're going to play that one?"

I smiled and nodded, caressing his calf with the top of my foot as I rested my chin in my hands, propping my elbows onto the table-top. "Yep."

We'd been playing Triple Triad for the past two hours on the deck of the yacht he'd chartered for our entire three-week honeymoon. It had a single mast and a back-up engine in case the winds died. Zell said that he'd been taking lessons on how to steer the yacht since he had decided that this is what he wanted to do. It was the most awesome and romantic idea… and it actually happened!

A little alteration to my initial plan, I decided to go ahead and strip down to my lavender swimsuit the minute we'd been away from the dock, Zell teasing me with whistles and applause while shouting "Take it off, baby! Take it off!" I think my entire body had turned redder than I had ever been in my life, and I'd protested and told him to 'Be quiet! You're not making it any easier!' He'd chuckled maniacally and hugged me close, as guys usually do, nibbling on different parts of my neck and shoulders until I'd been laughing so hard that I thought I would pass out.

I had to admit that these two hours seemed more like five minutes.

Of course, time always flew when I hung out with Zell, and both of us really enjoyed playing Triple Triad. Zell had some of the better cards, but I had a little more experience with the game mechanics. Not much, but enough to give me a little bit of an even keel with him. The only problem that kept coming up was a sudden active imagining of our impending… uh… intimacy. I kept shying away from images and feelings of us sharing such a beautiful connection, but then my mind would tenaciously go back to every romantic movie I had ever watched with those same moments, encouraging a feeling and a desire that… scared me.

I flushed for the hundredth time just as Zell voiced a thoughtful, "Hm."

Resting his chin in hand while tapping the sides of his few remaining cards onto the table-top, he stretched a leg out and stroked my leg with his toe. I shivered and every once in awhile fisted my hand to try and keep from imagining what the other strokes and caresses would feel like-

-_ahem_-

"Okay. Here. Take that. Mine, mine, mine, mine." Zell grinned at me. "I won."

Gathering the cards, I wrinkled my nose at him as I let him choose the one he got to keep. He read my expressions and picked the least worthwhile one, acting all excited when he put it in his deck, even though I knew he already had at least 10 cards that were twice as good. I stroked his calf, my insides rolling and flipping all over the place. _You are so cute,_ I thought with a sigh and an inward growth to the intensity of my feelings.

Zack would have scoffed. At best.

"Another match? Or do you want to do some swimming or something?" he asked as he stretched, looking absolutely fabulous in his amber shades, white tank-tee, and blue shorts. His tone and muscular arms rippled as he moved, making me remember how firm yet gentle-

I cleared my throat and lowered my eyes to a self-conscious straightening of my cards. "Well, where are we going? And, are we almost there?"

Zell looked at his watch. "Let's see. I programmed the coordinates about an hour and a half ago.… Hm." Zell looked up, affixing me with his boyishly serious expression of curiosity. "How long does it take to get to 'Nowhere in Particular' anchored?"

My mouth dropped. "Ancho- Wait. What do you mean 'Nowhere in Particular'? I thought we had a set itinerary."

"Oh sure we do. Get back to Balamb by-"

I giggled and threw my 'flip-flop' at him. "You know what I mean, Zellander Dincht!"

"Hey! No name-calling," he protested, tossing my sandal back. "I don't call you Priscilla!"

"Yes, you do!"

Chucking an ice chip at him, I timed it just right. It scurried down the back of his tank as he leaned forward. He squawked and stood up the same time I did. Darting away from his reaching arms, I squealed and giggled in true 'don't catch me - catch me' fashion, running toward the aft of the yacht to dive overboard.

Zell sounded his ever-familiar maniacal laugh and dove after me. "You better swim, shy girl, or you're gonna get eaten."

And I could hear him pull at the water as hard and fast as I already was. "Nuh-uh!" I took in a deep breath and went under, smiling so wide that I almost couldn't hold the breath I'd just taken. It was a lot of fun to be out here with him, hanging out with no expectations. Well, practically none. I noticed that I seemed to plot how to get in the next touch or kiss, that being more awesome than I could have ever imagined.

Yet it also pushed the 'want' for a different kind of relationship. One that we so carefully worked up to. One that, though a very strong part of me didn't want to admit it, I desperately… craved. An intimacy with a man I didn't know I could love so much.

I stopped diving and turned in the water to find Zell about 10 feet away staring down at something directly below him. I arched an eyebrow and then made my way over, catching his gaze and then his motion down. I looked- and saw a treasure chest! I hadn't ever seen one before. I'd heard rumors - everybody had - but I'd never actually seen one.

Meeting Zell's gaze, I nodded when he pointed up. We surfaced at the same time.

"What do you think?" he asked as he wiped the wet hair from his face. "It'd be pretty awesome to find some treasure on our honeymoon. You know it would."

"It's not too deep for a free-dive?"

"Nah. It's barely thirty feet. The water just makes it look deeper than it is." He grinned and made a motion with his head. "Come on. It'll be fun."

I surrendered to his sense of adventure and nodded, smiling. "Okay."

"Awesome. Let's go."

We breathed deep and dove, urging our descent toward the treasure chest nestled between two sections of coral. It had been there a long time, from the amount of coral and underwater additions that now called it home. I just hoped that Zell and I could get it out. Coral cut really bad.

We made it down to the chest, saw that the lock on it was still intact, and then tried to gauge how securely it had become nestled with the surrounding coral. It actually moved a little when I pulled a somewhat coral-free rock from under it.

Zell sent me a smile and then set to pulling the drawstring from his shorts to wrap it through the handle on the one side of the chest so that we could tug it to the surface. The chest wasn't as heavy as I thought it would be, which probably meant it wouldn't have all that much stuff inside, but it was still exciting to drag an actual treasure chest up from the depths of the ocean.

Okay, so maybe it wasn't the 'depths', but it was still fun.

When we finally got it on deck, after I had tossed a large bath towel down to Zell so he wouldn't cut his hands, we stared down at it for a long time before getting the crowbar and breaking the lock.

"Hm. That's weird. There's only a couple things in here." Zell reached in and pulled them out. "Ooo. Hey. This feels warm. What a trip. Here. Check it out."

He handed me the fist-sized green crystal with the red center as he looked closer at a kind of bracelet. "Wow, Zell. This crystal is really pretty, and you're right. It's warm to the touch." I stroked it softly with my thumbs as I smiled down at it. "I know the perfect place for this. I could have my dad carve a holder and put it on the new table we just picked up. It would look… spectacular… there…."

Zell looked up, noticed what must have been an odd expression on my face, and stood, tossing the bangle/bracelet back into the chest. "What?"

It was the oddest thing. As I stared down at the green crystal, lightly holding it in my palms and stroking its warm and smooth surface, I was struck with the strangest feeling. It was a kind of warmth inside my head… and yet inside my entire body, too. "I… I don't know… It's…" I looked up to meet Zell's curious gaze. "It's warm inside me, too."

"Huh?" Zell took the green crystal. "…the hell?!" he exclaimed as he blinked. "That's freakin' weird." He met my gaze. "Maybe we shouldn't take it home? Maybe we should put it back down there. There's got to be a reason it was down there. You think?"

"I…" I focused again on the crystal. "I don't know.… Somehow… it was kind of nice to have."

Zell lowered his gaze to the crystal while giving an absent nod. "Yeah. I know what you mean. Like… Like a missing part of you or something?"

I nodded and then pointed toward it. "We could… We could just not tell anyone about it, right? Keep it in a little chest in our room? In the bedside table that has the lock on it. Nobody would know, and Garden is the safest place in the world to keep something like this. Maybe I could research it in my free time."

Zell scrubbed at his scalp. "Well… I guess that'd be okay- Oh crap. I forgot." He met my gaze. "We've got to get new additions checked through security. Remember? If we try and take this in to Garden, Seifer's got to approve it. If he doesn't and it's found, it's our ass."

"Oh." I bit my lip as I focused again on the green crystal. "Oh."

Again, Zell scrubbed at his scalp. "Maybe we could drop it off with Prez Laguna? He's got that research station there. It'll be safe there, won't it?"

I smiled and nodded. "Okay."

Zell's boyish expression returned as he offered forward the crystal. "Here ya go."

I accepted it and gave its smooth surface a gentle rub as Zell again retrieved the bracelet from the chest. A glitter of gold in the sun captured my gaze. "That's really pretty."

"Yeah. Sweet, huh? It's got some fancy runes on it, too. I wonder if it's something like one of those stupid Odine bangles."

I stepped closer. "No. This looks a lot more… artistic and genuine. Oh my goodness. Those look really, really old. I bet I could find a book about those online." I smiled wide as I met his gaze. "Come on. Let's go look."

He grinned, fanning my enthusiasm, and then 'shoo'd me downstairs to our satellite uplink and the waiting answers.

The answers weren't so easy to find, which was fine with me because I always loved a challenge. Then to have Zell standing behind my chair at the dining table in the yacht's galley rubbing my shoulders and my neck and occasionally giving my neck a kiss and nuzzle? *happy sigh* It was phenomenal.

"Maybe you should go to that page there?" Zell asked, his arms along the back of my chair as his chin rested on my left shoulder.

"Which? This one?" I prompted, pointing to a link on the lower section of the page.

"Yeah. That guy's got a lot of letters after his name, so he's got to have something good. Maybe he has a study group or something."

"Good idea. Scientists and researchers have those," I admitted as I clicked the link.

Kissing my neck again, Zell's touch sent thoughts scattering the same time it sent my imagination soaring. In fact, I could barely remember where I was as he wrapped his arms around my upper chest and continued with the nuzzling and the kissing we hadn't really allowed ourselves since Winhill… My eyes fluttered closed-

**BEEP**

I twitched - so did Zell - and looked down at the screen.

"'No Garden personnel allowed'?" Zell asked, incredulous. "You're kidding."

"How odd." I clicked the 'OK' confirmation option on the window and was, surprisingly, taken to an automatic/generic e-mail form. "Well, at least he lets us contact him at all."

"Yeah. No doubt." Zell moved around to crouch beside me, his hands on both the back of the chair and the table, and watched me type in the e-mail. "Don't give him too much information. We just want to tweak his interest. I mean, geez, if he's not going to let us look around his site, why should we give him all that we've got?"

I smiled. "Very good idea." I finished the email and looked over at Zell. "How's that?"

He pointed to the screen. "Take that out."

"Okay." I did as requested and then waited, smiling down at him as I smoothed the hair at his temples and above his ears. "Is that better?" I asked softly.

"Yeah." He reached over and clicked 'send' before standing and drawing me to my feet. Then he guided my hands and arms up around his neck and nestled his around my waist, grinning. "How about we make out a little?" Zell kissed my forehead and then my nose. "You know what they say…" He lightly kissed my lips, and my eyes drifted closed. "Time flies…" and kissed me again, "…when you're having fun…" slow kiss…

**BEEP**

"…crap." Zell gave me another kiss, too brief for my taste right then, and then gave my arms a stroke to gather my hands in his. "Now I know why they say 'don't start what you can't finish'. It sucks."

I swallowed hard as I nodded, not trusting my voice with any kind of sane answer. I didn't understand how he could stop like that, because I felt as if I'd been yanked back from a crevice by my hair and still dangled over the side.…

Zell released a quick breath. "Come on. Let's see why we get a web-cam insteada e-mail."

He directed a dazed me to sit in the chair and then pulled a second one to position it to my left. Then he gave my thigh a gentle squeeze, sent me a wink, and pressed in the code to receive the web-cam signal. But, to my surprise, Zell only allowed our audio signal to go through. My brain skulked back from the precipice of a moment before and I smiled, giving his arm a nudge as I murmured, "Zell."

"Hey. If he's gonna be a jerk about his site.…"

I softly giggled and wrapped my arms around his. "You're so smart."

"Heh," Zell responded, smirking. When Dr. Zachari Tahlson's web-cam window opened, there was no image. Zell sent me a sidelong expression of 'What'd I tell ya?' To the web-cam he said, "You rang?"

"I would like to set up a meeting," the doctor informed brusquely. "Based on your location, I will meet with you in less than an hour. Remain there."

Then the transmission ended.

"Gee. Nice guy."

I giggled. "He's a scientist, sweetie. Remember?"

"Yeah, well, he coulda sent that via secure e-mail, instead breakin' up our fun."

Cheeks flushed, I lowered my gaze and said, "Yes, that's true, but where were we going to finish our fun? I don't think the floor would be very comfortable. Not with my back problems." _Sally? Did you just say that?!_

"Oh. Right." Zell looked to the floor of the galley and scrubbed at the back of his neck. "Forgot about that."

My expression softened as I moved my hands to cup his face. "It's okay, sweetie. So did I." Then I kissed his cheek and embraced him, wrapping my arms around his neck as he drew his arms around me. "I forget a lot of things when I'm with you." Maybe I would forget about the whole extreme-modesty thing?

Zell's arms tightened momentarily around me before he urged me back and met my gaze with a boyish smile. "Come on. I'll give you a full-body massage. The Works. We're talking everything. You'll love it."

My eyes widened as he took my hand and led me out of the galley and up the stairs to the deck. "The… The Works?" Rumors had floated around Garden for ages about Zell's ability to work the human body into complete and total relaxation. I, of course, had been blessed with a great many sessions with him, but nothing even close to 'The Works'. "C-Can I handle The Works?"

Zell sent me a mischievous twinkle. "Maybe. I've gotten some great releases off you with the mild stuff, so you'll probably love The Works. But I guess we'll see." Then he wiggled his eyebrows at me.

Which, of course, had me very suspicious as to what exactly 'The Works' entailed. "Zell," I prompted slowly and cautiously, "you're scaring me." I didn't know how much touch from him I could handle without showing a part of me I wanted to deny existed.

Zell laughed and pushed out on deck. "Nah. Don't be scared. It won't be painful or nothing. Wait right here." He deliberately positioned me within the center of the deck and then went to gather a couple of the long side-bench cushions and position them on the flooring near me. Then he reached up a hand and steadied my kneel onto the cushions. "Okay. Lay on your tummy. I'll start easy and let you get used to it first."

My stomach alternated between flips, flops, and twists of 'Do I really want to do this?' while I bit my lip.

Zell chuckled and gave my chin a gentle chuck. "Come on, come on. You'll be okay, Meg. Promise."

I offered a timid smile and then did as directed.

"In fact, I bet you'll be more than okay." He rested a hand on my back, the other adjusting the cushions. "Put your face between the cushions so you can relax. There ya go. Say. You're getting better at the 'relax' part."

Anything said after that fell to the wayside as his hands stroked, caressed, and kneaded my muscles with firmly gentle motions. My mind simply shut down, leaving only the next blissful moment of touch and 'release' as his hands and fingers explored and sought out the next bit of stress, an achy pocket of anxiety, the hiding tightness… and then worked it loose. Tenacious and tender in a way that sent me into a trance-like state of the promised 'complete and total relaxation'.

Then his fingers and hands changed their language against my skin. I moaned without meaning to, but any embarrassment or horror didn't have the strength to lift its head. Not when he… I moaned again when his fingers worked a single section in the small of my back, coaxing out the deeper hiding tightness while, at the same time, feeling as if he caressed my very soul.

Each portion of my skin and body was stroked this way, sending shivers from my hairline to my fingers and toes and making my eyes roll back in my head as my body continued to voice its pleasure in soft moans and groans. I couldn't explain how it made me feel. It just… it just felt. Clear through.

I vaguely felt a soft kiss on my shoulder, the whisper of "I told you you'd like it," running off my mind like water off crystal as his hands continued to work.

Then, too soon, he caressed his hands down my body and drew them away. But only to immediately and gently turn me onto my back with my head in his lap while he began a tender and soft massage of my temples, face, and head. I felt like a well-rolled piece of dough and just as pliable.

"If you feel like going to sleep," Zell said in a low voice, his smile twitching at the corners, "just let yourself go. Okay?"

I couldn't even nod or smile my answer. I could only lie there drifting on a cloud of euphoria and pleasure.…

"… go to sleep, kitten.…"

…and then into the pink and blue mists of sleep.…

***

The release I felt when she went all the way was a kind of rush. I don't know how to explain it, other than it feels as if there's this wave of a heavy duty tingle. I used to get headaches when I'd get releases like that on other people. But it had never been like that with Sally. There was the release and the tingle, of course, but I was just a little tired after it. It took a lot of focus to do the massage bit because you had to pay attention to what muscle groups you were working. That and you had to follow the stress.

Slippery buggers.

But headaches? Nah. Never. Not even once.

I shook my head, chuckling as I continued to stroke her face. She had really soft skin, and I'd always loved touching soft stuff. Don't know why. Didn't care. 'Course, I always looked for any excuse to touch her anywhere. Had since we'd started dating. That was me: Always pushing the limits. She took it like a trooper, only slapping me a couple times when even I knew I'd deserved it.

I chuckled again, adjusting her limp body in my lap. The look on her face when she'd slapped me the first time was still kinda funny. She'd looked as if she'd killed someone. Musta gone yellow for, like, at least a minute. Of course I'd felt like a complete jerk-off at the time, falling over myself to apologize. Can't remember now what I'd done to get the wallop, but I guess it doesn't matter. We laugh about it now.

"We laugh about a lot of things, don't we, Meg?"

She let out a soft coo of a sigh - I loved those - which made me snigger. But then, I don't know why, I remembered that I was married to her now. That made the smile slowly vanish. It was just her and me. No backing off. No stepping out. It was her and me. Period. That was kind of a weird thing to me still. I mean, I'd not really ever had anything, like what Sally and I had. That still had a way of kinda creeping me out.

A lot of pressure, I guess.

After all, I didn't know what to expect. I was doing the best I could to take things as it went, always seemed to be the best policy, but I guess I'd come to think that 'marriage' was supposed to change stuff. Don't ask me what. It just always did, and I didn't want it to. I wanted to keep 'hanging out' with her, doing 'friendship' stuff like playing cards, or watching the game, or laughing over things.

I rested my chin in my hand and my elbow on my leg as I stared down at her, my other hand interlacing my fingers with hers. Yeah, I knew we were only a day into it, barely, but… well… What we had was boooya!-awesome, and I didn't want anything to change it. But I didn't know how to make it stay that way. Didn't have any idea. Thought that, maybe if I tried, it would make it all screw up.

But.…

I let out a deep breath, muttering, "Dincht, just chill," and then lifted her hand to give it a kiss, my gaze drifting to the open door that led below-deck.

It was cool that we'd found the treasure chest, Sally always loved mysteries and puzzles and stuff, but the crystal-thing gave me an itch. Well, not a real itch, but something that kinda nagged at me. Like what I'd said when we found it. It had been a real trip to hold. Warm and smooth, yeah, but more than that. And that was the itch. I couldn't really grab the words to say what I meant. Didn't even know what I meant.

I just kept thinking back to when I'd held it for longer than that initial second or whatever. Sally had said it best. 'It's warm inside me, too.' But even that hadn't gone to what it had been like. It was like… It was like I could still feel it there. Just kinda… lingering. Right there. Right where I couldn't really feel or hear it, if that makes any sense. It was as if I needed to hold it again to make it go away, or to even make it make sense.

That kinda freaked me out a little.

Again, Sally said it. 'It was kind of nice to have.'

I'd only ever started feeling that about her - don't give me that, guys. Geez. It rocks to hold a hottie like Sally! - but when I'd held that crystal.… I shook my head, letting out another breath as I once more focused on her peaceful expression.

I smiled and gave her fingers a squeeze, trying to ignore the pull that came from below-deck as I remembered the planned 'strip-tease'. But a week? Man. It had been bad enough to watch her these past hours in just her swimsuit, not even thinking about giving her The Works through it when she would shiver like that at the release. And when she stood up to get anything? Geez, that was the worst! I mean, that birthmark on her back thigh was awesome. She had a nice butt, too!

And I was supposed to wait a week?!

I knew I couldn't push any boundaries this time. Well. Maybe a couple, if I watched it. I knew that if I didn't watch it, I'd do something like I had down in the galley. If the beep hadn't come when it had, I'd have found the fastest way out of a one-piece.

Rubbing hard at my scalp, I mumbled "So you'll take a few more cold showers each day. Big, friggin' deal." Sure. If I had sense enough to bolt to the shower.

Letting out yet another quick breath, I again rested my chin in my hand as I stared down at Sally. Like usual, I eventually smiled. Then I placed her hand carefully on her tummy and softly stroked the skin of her jaw. Yeah. She had really soft skin. Of course, she was soft, and not just that way. She was a real sweetheart. Hadn't ever really seen her lose her temper, either. That made me kind of curious if she just kept it inside, which I knew wasn't the best thing to do, but then I shrugged it off and just kept staring down at her.

Still smiling, of course, and still wondering how I was going to last a week when the Mega-Phoenix was lying in my lap with that kind of smile on her face. How did any guy keep from jumping a girl who looked like Sally? Especially when she would look like that at me. I guess it came down to the whole 'respect' thing. I don't think I respected anyone more than I respected Sally. Except for Squall, but that was different. He was my bud. He'd given me chances that no one else ever had.

No one but Sally.

"Yeah. You rock on so many different levels," I whispered. I just wish I could have told her how much. But I'd never been good at crap like that. It sucked, but oh well. She seemed to know it all already. I just had to say what I could. She was always fine with that, giving me those awesome 'Oh Zell' sighs that made me see gold for weeks.

How a girl does that I have no idea. I don't think I'll ever figure it out, either. Actually, I don't think I would ever try. Screw the 'why'. I was a Phoenix Junkie, whole hog, and I was fine with that. In fact, it was an awesome place to be. I couldn't even imagine how awesome the next step was going to be. Well, I could try, but I kinda didn't want to. I mean… I kinda wanted to be shocked off my ass. It was always more fun that way.

I smirked, my mind doing a little bit of imagining just the same as I stroked Sally's jaw and tried not to admit that, performance freak or not, I'm sure it would be a helluva rush. She had been since day one, so why would our honeymoon be any different?

"Heh. Knowing you," I said under my breath as I heard an approaching motor, "it won't. It'll be better." Sally had always been a collection of 'betters'. Giving a small shake of my head, I softly said, "Hey, kitten, you've got to wake up now," even though I hated to do it. Her in my lap always felt Booya!-awesome.

She mumbled something, who knew what, and took in and released a very deep breath. But she was still limp, so I figured she was probably still floating off in 'lala' land. "Heh. I wish I could come, girl, but you've got to come back." I stroked her jaw with a slightly firmer touch. "Come on. Come on back."

She groaned sleepily, sighing deep again, but this time she felt a little less limp.

"I know, it's cool out there, but… Come on, girl," I whispered. "Come on back. We've got company…"

***

…I woke to the caress of Zell's fingers along my jaw.

"We've got company, kitten," he prompted softly. "Wake up."

I smiled and gave a happy sigh as I stretched, reaching my hands behind him to scratch his back. I opened my eyes and met his blue ones. "Hey, handsome." My smile grew more silly. "Can you do that again?"

Chuckling, his eyes twinkled with mischief. "Sure, but not right now. I don't think the doc would appreciate it, and he's coming alongside." Zell heaved my shoulders up and out of his lap and then stood to draw me to my feet, steadying me when my knees nearly gave way. "Sorry, kitten. I'd let you sleep longer, but.…"

The silly smile remained as I glowed over at him. "Oh that's okay. I like it here." Lingering on a cloud of pleasure like this? Uh. Yeah. Duh.

Zell's lips twitched. "I'll be sure to remember that." He stepped close as the sound of an approaching motor grew louder, cupping my face in his hands and stroking my cheeks. "Come on, girl. Wake up. You need all your brain with this guy," he said absently.

I softly giggled, hands lifting to hold his wrists as his fingers continued to tingle my brain awake. It was a real 'trip', as Zell would say. "You're cute," I mumbled in a silly tone. "Let's make out."

Zell chuckled, giving a shake of his head while saying "Oh boy," in a low voice. "Note to self: Self, don't push so many buttons all at once."

Giggling again, I wrinkled my nose at him as the pink and blue began to slowly fade. "Awwww."

He kissed my nose. "You'll thank me later." He presented a tank top, then wrapped a flowery wrap-around skirt about me as I dazedly slipped into the shirt, occasionally giggling at how cute the entire episode looked to me.

"There ya go," he finally said, giving my waist a squeeze. "All wrapped up."

"Thank you," I said softly, and I think I actually fluttered my eyelashes at him.

He sent me his usual charming, boyish smile before turning me around and taking my hand in his. "Show time."

Dr. Zachari Tahlson boarded dressed in corduroy slacks, rumpled sweater-vest, and wrinkled dress-shirt. To me he didn't look like much more than a geeky professor. He had to be only as old as Zell, if that, and had a shock of red hair that stuck out a bit all around his head. It wasn't too bad, due to the fact it was short, but I wondered if the spikes were intentional or because he'd forgotten to comb it. He had wire-rimmed glasses - it seemed to be a prerequisite for being a scientist - and, to my surprise, what looked like a hearing-aide. Although there looked to be something different about them. _Maybe they're microphone devices to a third party?_

Once he'd come to stand across from us, I noticed he carried a leather portfolio in one hand and a slim computer in the other.

Zell extended a hand. "Zell. This is my wife: Sally."

_Wife…_ I would have collapsed into a fit of happy giggles if it wasn't for the fact that Zell gave my hand a tight squeeze.

Dr. Tahlson nodded, shifting his computer into his other arm before accepting Zell's hand to give a single shake. Then he shifted the computer back. "Is this location secure?"

"Sure. Give me a sec." He looked over at me. "Can you check?"

"Oh. Of course." I looked around for the internet phone, found it beside the cushions on the deck, and retrieved it to check the security of the surrounding area. "Nothing. Satellite isn't due to pass until 1600 hours. That gives us… 75 minutes."

Dr. Tahlson lifted an eyebrow. "Security?"

I stood and moved to stand beside Zell, gathering up his hand again.

Zell smirked and said, "Sorry, doc. Gonna have to pass on that one. Let's just keep it to our little e-mail."

Dr. Tahlson brusquely nodded. "May I see the artifact?"

"Sure. This way." We led him down into the galley where the bangle still rested beside the crystal on the dining table. Zell stealthily gathered up the crystal, hiding it behind his back before the doctor had completely entered the room. I sent him a sidelong glance, but he only winked and continued to smile that easy smile. "Right there."

Nodding again, Dr. Tahlson sat himself in the chair directly across from the bangle and positioned his computer beside it. The computer was then opened and switched on, a slate of sorts brought out and installed into a port on the right. My eyes widened. _A high-tech scanner pad! _It would be able to tell him exactly what metal elements the bangle had been created with. It could also imprint the rune images into his computer so that it could run them through the linguistics program he likely had installed. _Very nice. _I wanted one, and I made a note to myself to make a request to Seifer when I got back.

Dr. Tahlson placed the bangle onto the pad, typed in the appropriate commands, and then silently waited while the computer ran the appropriate elemental and forensic checks. Then he set it to processing that information while a sub-program scanned the runes into his computer for a secondary search of his current database. When I felt a slight squeeze, I sent Zell a quizzical glance and found him smirking at me. I flushed and looked down, smiling and shivering when he gave my hand a kiss.

A sudden soft sound from the doctor drew Zell and my gazes. He had leaned close to the screen while murmuring a collection of phrases I couldn't make out. Then he scratched at his head and furiously typed on the keypad of his computer, likely sending it on a collection of sub-searches that would narrow fields and mark out any possibility of error. It's what I would have done if I didn't believe what the computer first found. Finally, he released a deep breath and leaned back heavily in the chair, scrubbing at his scalp for a long time before lowering his arm to his side and then looking over at us with a grin that reminded me a lot of Marshal.

"Have a seat," the doctor offered.

An eyebrow twitched on Zell's face as he pulled a chair out for me at the head of the small table and then continued to stand behind me, his hands on my shoulders while his thumbs lightly stroked my neck. Somewhere vaguely in my pleasure-soaked brain I wondered what he'd done with the green crystal.

Dr. Tahlson turned long enough toward his computer to retrieve the bangle. He offered it toward me, still smiling. "Go ahead. Put it on."

I looked to the bangle and then the doctor's very happy face before feeling Zell's assuring rub on my neck and then accepting the offered piece of jewelry. I slipped the golden bangle onto my left wrist and smiled down at it. "It's so pretty."

"A powerful piece of protection from magic attacks as well."

"Wha-? Magic? Really?" Zell pressed, his hands momentarily tightening on my shoulders.

"Those runes there halve the amount of damage taken from both physical and magical attacks, forming a barrier around the person until the bangle is removed."

My eyes widened as I focused on the doctor. "But… But how?"

"Our world has an innate magical aura; many people theorize it's due in part to the Guardian Forces that have dedicated themselves to protecting this planet. Those runes tap into that magical aura and utilize it to offer protection in a limited area. In this case, on whomever wears that bangle."

Zell looked down at the bangle the same time I did. "Sweet!"

"How old is it?" I asked softly, absently twisting it back and forth on my wrist.

"Very old. The computer places it at 3 millennia."

"Wha-? You're kidding!"

Dr. Tahlson shook his head. "You've made the archaeological discovery of the age." He motioned briefly to us. "Name your price and the Foundation will transfer that into your account." His smile widened as he focused on me. "You won't even need to give up the bangle. I've received all the information I can from it. If you promise to let me have another look, should equipment be upgraded, we'll give you a bonus at that time."

My mouth dropped open- I looked over my shoulder at Zell, but he was already pulling the green crystal out of his back pocket. "What do you make of this then, doc? We found it with the bangle."

Dr. Tahlson's face went white, and the hands that reached out for it trembled. "My god. You… You found one…"

"Found one?" Zell and I asked together. "Found one what?"

Dr. Tahlson's gaze lifted from his stroke of the green and red crystal. "A magicite shard. The life force of… an Esper."


	3. Lessons

**Three › Lessons ‹**

"A wha?" Zell asked. "Esper?"

The doctor nodded, expression very much like dazed shock. A look I would imagine on a little boy that had gotten the one present he'd thought to be impossible.

"What's an Esper?" Zell and I voiced together.

Normally I would have thought the fact we kept doing that more than adorable, but with the look on the doctor's face and how apparently… extreme the finding of the crystal seemed to be, I shuffled it aside for a future giggle.

"An Esper is a creature very much like our Guardian Forces. In fact, many speculate that Espers are the original Guardian Forces of our world. Some even theorize that they were originally human, transformed by gods or goddesses as part of a war more than 5 millennia ago. There's no proof, however. Only documents telling of a rather old legend."

"What happened to them?" I asked, voice hushed.

"Some type of conflict killed a great many, few others fleeing to a safer dimension, or so it's hypothesized. Whether this dimension is the same as that of the current Guardian Forces no one knows." Dr. Tahlson swallowed hard and again focused down at the crystal. "Magicite is, as previously said, the remaining life-force of the Esper. The holder can even summon the Esper's essence once every certain number of hours. It's also speculated that the holder of the shard is bestowed the powers of that Esper, although the amount of time needed to learn the ability is unknown."

My stomach slithered to my feet. "You… You have the power of the Esper in that… in that little shard? You don't have to junction to… to do the magic?"

The doctor absently shook his head.

"Shit," Zell hissed, reaching out to take the crystal from the doctor's hands. Dr. Tahlson looked up, but he didn't fight the action. "Sorry, doc. I think I'm gonna hold on to this."

Dr. Tahlson nodded, clearing his throat and rubbing his hands on his legs. "As well you should. You, Zell Dincht, are one of a small collection of people that can be trusted with that power."

"How many of these are out there?" Zell asked, tone a bit sharp.

I blinked, watching Zell as Dr. Tahlson shook his head and confessed, "They were thought to be myths. Legends. Stories thought up by magic abusers."

"How many?" Zell pressed, and I hadn't heard his voice this determined in weeks.

"Maybe… four? Eight? As I said, we don't know."

Zell placed the crystal into my hands before coming around to stand between me and the doctor, leaning his hand on the table. "How do we find the others? Is there something to scan? Some map or riddle you've found? What."

I looked up from the crystal to the rigid determination in Zell's body language. Reaching out to gently lay a hand on his back, I softly soothed, "Zell… It's okay."

He turned, face serious. "It's not okay, Sally. Junctioning is hard enough to control because Guardian Forces can agree to work with whoever they want. But if some hothead jerk-off finds these?" he said intensely, pointing to the crystal. "No. No, it's not okay. We've got to find these. We've got to find them now." He turned back to Dr. Tahlson. "I need you to make a program or something that'll help us find them. Can you do that?"

Dr. Tahlson mutely nodded before he found his voice. "Y-Yes. Of course."

Zell faced me again. "Can you help him?"

I nodded.

"Okay. I'm going to go on deck and call Squall." He turned and left the cabin, absently mumbling "Gotta tell him what's going on. Man, he'll shit bricks…"

I stared after him for a long moment before lowering my gaze to the crystal. Sighing deep, I set it aside and then met the doctor's still-shaken expression. "Well, I guess we get started."

*

"Hey, Sally?"

I looked up from the computer screen the same time Dr. Tahlson did, both focusing to the entry of the galley to see Zell standing a little uncertain in the doorway. "Yes?"

"Can I talk to you for a sec?"

"Sure." I stood and followed him out of the galley and down the hall to the deck. "What's the matter?"

"I didn't tell him."

"Squall?"

Zell nodded, scratching at his scalp and then rubbing at his neck. "I couldn't. I just couldn't do it. I mean, dude!" Zell looked up, eyes a little wide as he spread his hands out toward me. "He's under a lot of pressure already. He doesn't need to know about this, does he? I mean, not until we find 'em all and put 'em in the Esthar Research Facility for safe-keeping. Right?"

I looked to my watch. It had been almost 45 minutes since he'd come up on deck to supposedly tell Squall about the Esper crystal and everything. My expression softened as I focused again on his concerned face. "Have you been worrying about this the entire time?"

Stuffing his hands into the pockets of his shorts, he looked down to the deck and nodded.

"Awww," I cried, stepping up to wrap him in a hug. "Sweetie…" I kissed his neck, ignoring the spark. "Of course we don't have to tell him right now. We can just file a report later. Like all the espionage and undercover operatives do. If we told him now, who knows but that someone would find out and use the information against Garden?"

"That's what I was thinking."

I pulled back and held his face in my hands, offering a soft smile into his somewhat serious expression. "Seifer better watch out or you'll have his job."

Zell grinned at that. "I don't want his job. I want Winhill."

I giggled and gave him a gentle kiss. "So do I." And another one. "Now." One more and then I forced myself to pull back. "Why don't you come down and watch us work on the computer. You always make me think better."

But when we arrived at the doorway of the galley, Dr. Tahlson had just finished packing up his computer. He glanced toward us. "I must go and report this to the Foundation. I also need to leave before the satellite passes overhead." He gathered up his case and his computer and then stepped toward us. "I'll finish up the program and contact you as soon as it's functioning."

Zell and I followed the doctor up on deck. "Sure, doc. Gotcha."

He stepped over the side and into his smaller vessel and then looked up once he had set aside his computer. "Thank you for contacting me. I know the Foundation's stringent policies regarding Garden put people off, but.…"

"Don't sweat it, doc. We get it, especially with what we found out today." Zell pointed at the smaller ship. "Give us a holler if anything happens. We'll book ass."

Dr. Tahlson smirked, which made him look even more boyish, and then touched his forehead with a finger. "Zell. Sally. Enjoy the rest of your day."

Zell grinned, gave him the thumbs up while drawing me closer, and then we watched him direct the vessel toward the east. "Nice guy."

I nodded, wrapping my arms around him to give his middle a tight squeeze. "As guys go."

Chuckling, Zell kissed the top of my head and then rubbed at my back. "Let's shove off."

"Shove off?" I asked, meeting his gaze. "We going somewhere?"

"Yeah. Fisherman's Horizon. Remember?" At my confused expression he prompted, "Bikini?"

On cue, I turned red. And I mean whole body, tomato red. "Oh yeah."

Laughing, Zell drew me very close for another tight squeeze. "There's that color again."

I shoved at him, but he didn't let go. "Don't start," I pleaded.

"I know, I know. I won't. Promise." Then he once more kissed my head. "You go weigh anchor and I'll get the heading from the computer."

Nodding, I gave him a hug and then was turned and playfully pushed toward the anchor in the stern of the yacht. He, of course, patted my bottom on the way. Which made me - you guessed it - giggle a protest of "Stop!"

He winked and then made his way to the main helm to get everything set to the right coordinates. Once the anchor was up and I was between him and the large navigation wheel, his hands over mine as we guided the vessel, I was more than content.

Well, for the most part. I still worried that he might be putting on a brave face for me regarding the Esper/magicite/magic discovery, but I wasn't sure what to do about that. I mean, I hadn't ever seen Zell like that, and I would rather hide from the subject than bring it up and try and get him to not stress about it.

I released a deep breath as I rested my head back against him.

"You okay?"

Nodding, I closed my eyes and tried not to think about anything but right then and there. How often did a person find their dreams coming true to this extent? So, that's what I was going to focus on: Us.

What a great word.

Zell wrapped his arm around me to draw me tighter against him, pressing his lips against my temple in one of those long touches that I absolutely adored. What else could I do but rest my hand on his arm and caress it with my thumb? Of course it made me feel all jumpy inside, but it must be a good 'jumpy' because it definitely didn't feel bad. It reminded me how I had felt in Winhill. Or in our apartment. Well, it hadn't been our apartment yet, but you know what I'm talking about.

It was that 'jumpy' and that intensity of feeling inside that made me believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that the next step of our relationship lingered just where I could reach. I only had to take the step. It was that step that I was afraid of, though. I didn't know what to expect, what to do, what to say or feel… and that made me stay away from it. That had always been one of my strongest challenges, accepting the unknown and venturing out into it.

Because I wanted to, especially with this, that made me even more scared. At least right now I was. That was why I needed this time to work up to it. So I could get used to it. So I could take that step and finally let myself… trust Zell in a different way than I had ever trusted anyone. I didn't want to regret anything, and for some reason any time I 'rushed' into things, there was always a bit of regret. A thought, brief as it was, of 'Could I have done it better/different, this way/that way', etc.

My first night with Zell was not going to have any regrets or questions.

I turned in his arm and surrounded him in a tight embrace, resting my cheek against his chest as I kept my eyes closed and whispered, "I love you, Zell."

Zell drew me even closer and pressed his lips against my hair. "I love you, too, Sally."

Which he proved each and every time he respected me, stepping back even though I knew he wanted to take another step forward. It was no wonder I loved him as much as I did. Even though he messed up, he tried as hard as he could to make it up to me. Just like he gave me room to grow and learn to be less timid than I was before. No one had really ever taken the time before. Well, not outside my family and Marshal. That really meant a lot to me.

"Thank you for… for waiting," I whispered.

Giving my back several tender rubs, he said, "Don't sweat it, kitten. You just take it as you need to. I'm not going anywhere."

I didn't even want to think how much he was having to do to give me my space. Zack had once said that guys thought about sex about once in every 10 seconds. That thought still made me flush and burn, but mostly because I knew I thought about Zell more frequently than that. I just didn't want to admit in which way. At least… not yet.

Zell and I arrived at Fisherman's Horizon not very long after setting out. Then, worrying my lip and tightly squeezing Zell's hand while we disembarked and made our way to the shops near the Mayor's house, I set myself to the task of getting my mind ready to choose, and maybe actually try on some bikinis.

Once Rinoa, Selphie, Janine and I had been looking through some magazines and found some different styles. One or two weren't as bad as I thought they might be. Janine, of course, chose the one that revealed the most (I think they called it a G-string? -.-) Selphie and Rinoa had chosen a couple that seemed to be high-cut shorts on the bottom and then the usual bikini top. I hadn't been able to even consider one.

Now I was going to not only consider one, I had to wear it.

In front of Zell.

…

We found the swim-wear stand a bit too soon, in my opinion. I hadn't completely prepared myself for seeing the little bits of color that seemed … well… so little. But there they were. Hung up around the stand with their strings hanging down and seeming to taunt me with looks of disdain. They had me turning shades of red I hadn't ever considered possible. Not only that, they made me clutch my windbreaker around me.

Zell wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "You don't have to wear one, if you don't want to, Sally. Maybe you can just cut up a pair or two of your shorts really high and just wear some of your night tanks?"

I worried my lower lip, unable to look away from the bright colors of the small bits of fabric. "But… But it won't be the same," I reminded in a hushed voice.

"Who says?"

Looking to Zell, I shook my head. "It covers too much. If I'm supposed to get ready for… you know, how can I do that without, well, showing more and more?"

"I know, but geez, Sally. A bikini? Sure it sounds good to me, but this is you. You feel bad enough in your one-piece."

"I've got to at least try. I can't be a wuss."

"You're not a wuss," he defended. "You're modest, which is fine with me. I don't want guys gawking."

That sentiment made me feel wonderful, but it also made me feel even more determined to do this. I smiled. "But it's just going to be the two of us, so I've got no excuse. Well, not really. Especially if I'm serious about… what I planned. I've got to try. Don't I?"

"You don't 'got' to do anything. We'll get to the same place whether you get one or not, what with the dressing in front of each other and wearing your one-piece all the time. So, seriously, you don't gotta do this."

My smile softened. "Zell, every time you say that, it makes me want to even more," I admitted.

He blinked and leaned slightly back. "Wha?"

Giggling, I shook my head and grabbed his hand to pull him toward the stand. "Boys. The simplest things you just don't get."

"Hey. That's not nice," he protested, gathering me into his arms with my back against his chest (his favorite position) to nibble my neck as we continued to teeter toward the stand.

Squealing, giggling, and chuckling the entire time.

Once we were at the stand, Zell didn't let go. Probably because he felt my whole body stiffen at the assortment of string bikinis. There weren't any of the cute 'short' type ones… _…uh oh…_

"Hey," Zell spoke up, grabbing the attention of one of the tanned girls working the stand. I could only stare at the bikinis in front of me, my mouth dry and my stomach slithering to my feet. "Don't you got any but these string ones?"

The girl behind the counter looked me up and down before sending Zell a bright smile and saying "One sec. I think I've got something in the back."

The girl was blonde and beautiful, of course, wearing a bikini under one of those crocheted tops that showed everything while supposedly being modest. She had more of everything than I did. I flushed even darker, worrying my lip and lowering my gaze to the bikinis. _I… I could look good in one of these… right? _I swallowed hard.

Zell kissed the back of my head. "Don't look at 'em, Meg. You'll just make yourself sick." Then he covered my eyes with one of his hands, making me giggle so suddenly that I had to giggle even harder.

_~whew~_

"Here's a few of a different style. They haven't been selling very well, so we put them in back. They're on sale for 60% off if you want to get a couple."

"Seriously? Sweet. Thanks." Then Zell lowered his hand, returning his arm to its duty of surrounding me and holding me close against him. "These aren't so bad. Whatdya think?"

I lifted my hands very hesitantly to tip the box, making it a little easier to get into. "Y-Yeah. They're c-cute." They were just so… so small.

"Hey," Zell called again. The same blonde came. "Can we get some of those swimsuit shirt things? They're kinda see-through but not really?"

"Like this?" she inquired, stepping closer and motioning to her own shirt.

Or whatever it was.

I cringed. _I can't fill out a shirt and bikini like that…_ I don't think I ever would. I was barely a- Well, never mind.

"Nah, nah, nah," Zell said, shaking his head and motioning down the way with a lift of his chin. "Like those ones over there. The ones that are only a little see-through."

The girl made a slight face, Zell probably didn't even notice, and then picked up one of the shirts he'd motioned to. "These?"

"Oooo. That's pretty." It was a subtle pink, and one of those linen shirts that was always so cool and comfortable in the summer.

"Yeah. I thought you'd like that." Zell kissed and nuzzled my cheek a few times, giving me a tighter squeeze before finally meeting the girl's eyes and saying, "Yeah. That'd be great. Thanks."

The girl pressed her lips together before forcing a smile and setting the shirt next to the box and turning away.

"What size are you again?" Zell finally let go to step up to the box and start sifting through the suits. "These look too big." He held up some bikini bottoms. "Duuuuude. Your butt is not this big!"

"Zell!" I scolded, swiping the bottoms from his grasp and tossing them into the box. "Don't you dare do that here!" I pleaded, whispering as I looked frantically around.

"But it isn't! Come on! Check it out!" He pulled the bottoms back out and held them up. "These are huge!"

I once more swiped them from his grasp. "Stop it," I hissed. "They aren't that big. They're only a six. Janine's a six-" I clapped my hand over my mouth.

"Seriously? Huh." He looked down at the box with a somewhat thoughtful expression. "Weird. Here I thought I'd figured out you girls's wacky sizes…" Zell shrugged. "Oh well." He leaned against the stand and picked through the box with only mild interest. "So what're you going to get?"

Sighing deep, I focused again on the box. "I don't know. This one's a nice color, but… I just wish there were some of those ones that looked like shorts."

"There's not much different between the bottoms and your suit, if you think about it. The thing is all the space in between. You know? Your belly button and midriff and stuff."

And he said it so… so… straight-faced. Not a single blush. Not a single stammer. I would have been stuttering until midnight. "…yeah…" I forced out.

"So I guess you could just think of it as- Never mind. That sounds stupid. Here. Get this one. I like you in pink. Oh hey! Check this one out! Balamb blue. You gotta get this one, too."

"Do they have a smaller size?"

"Smaller?" Zell held up the bottoms. "Oh. Yeah. Your butt is smaller than this. Way."

Flushing crimson, I covered my face with my hands. _Stop being a wuss, Sally. Geez. It's not a big deal. _I took in and released a very deep breath before lowering my hands and whispering, "I need a four."

"Here's one. And it's a four, too. Not like the other pink I like, but it's okay."

_See? He doesn't even care._

"Oh dude! They've got one of those Balamb-blue ones in the four… Hold on. You need a bigger top than this, dontcha?"

To my horror, Zell held the bikini top up to my chest, expression thoughtful.

"Yep. Hold on. I think I saw a couple. Yeah. Oh but they're a different color. Does that matter?" He focused an intensely concentrating look on me, not seeming to notice my blank expression that went beyond mortification. Then Zell shrugged and turned back to the box. "Close enough, and at least they're both pink and blue. Maybe you can wear one with one and the other with the other, so it doesn't matter if the color's different because the bottoms are a different color anyway."

And he said it so… casual…

Not noticing my silence, Zell offered forward the two pairs and the shirt, directed them to find a blue one just like it, and then had them bag it up. Then we were heading back toward the dock, Zell chattering about something I didn't really focus on. I think the escapade with the bikinis had sent me over the edge. And now I had to wear them. …_oh no- Don't you dare start wussing out, Sally Elizabeth Dincht-_ I halted, blinking as I only vaguely felt Zell's focus shift to me as he voiced a question.

_Oh yeah. I'm married. _I looked over to meet Zell's curious and somewhat puzzled expression, brightly smiling when he asked "You okay, kitten?"

I nodded. "Fine." I had the tingles to prove it.

His smile returned. "Okay. You fruited out there for a second, so I wasn't sure if it was the whole bikini thing again." He lifted the bag. "I'll shove these into the closet and then get started on grub. You see if the doc called about the program. I kinda forgot to tell him we were shoving off."

Then we were making plans for the next day, chatting and laughing about stuff like we usually always did. Like friends, with that hint and expectation for something more. Bikini? If I could marry Zell Dincht, I could wear a stupid bikini!

***

The doc had finished the program, but he'd been caught up by some kind of conference call with the Foundation and couldn't make it until late the next morning to help Sally with the install. I didn't really care, gave me more time with her to myself, but I kept getting this itch in the back of my head that I had to talk to Squall and Seifer.

They were going to crap kittens.

Now, as I washed the dishes from dinner before heading to bed, I kept thinking one thing over and over again. _What if this's what those Radical bastards in Winhill were looking for? _I had to report about the green crystal. _Give it one more day,_ I argued. _Just until we can find a couple more. Maybe then we can get some damn answers about how many of these things there are._

I sent a glance to my right and the crystal resting on another dishtowel in the corner, and when I tried to look away it took more effort than I liked. I even had to give my head a shake to clear that itch and tingle I'd felt since coming back from Fisherman's Horizon. As I'd cooked dinner, it had been like someone had been staring at me. Really freaked me out.

It took a lot to freak me out.

"Do you think we'll make it to Mom and Dad's by lunch?" Sally asked, drying the last of the dishes and taking them to the cupboard. "Maybe I should call?"

"Sure. Timber's just a skip away, if we've got a good wind. You should call after breakfast."

"Do you think we should call the doctor to let him know where we're going? I know he said he would call us when he was done with the conference, but still. I feel bad traveling around without letting him know."

I dried my hands after draining and rinsing the sink. "Nah. We've got our own thing going on and he's got his. We'll connect." Absently rubbing my hands together, I glanced again at the crystal before clearing my throat and turning away from it, forcing a smile and then drawing Sally into a hug. "I'm beat. Let's get this 'changing' thing out of the way so we can relax."

Sally flushed. "Okay."

_Relax? Are you on something? You're going to be down to your skivvies with Sally and you think you're going to be able to relax?! _So I wasn't going to be able to give myself any slack, what did I care? I rubbed at the back of my neck. _Don't start that crap, Dincht. If you slip up, it's your ass on the line. You've got to keep it to yourself. _Hey. If I could keep it to myself for nine months before marrying her, what was another week?

Sending Sally a glance, I cleared my throat. A week could mean the difference between being crazy and no longer having the best thing that had ever happened to my sorry butt.

I gave her shoulders a jostle as we crossed the hall and entered the master suite. "So you're the boss. How do you want to do this?"

"I have no idea," she admitted in a whisper. "It sounded so easy before, but… Now I don't know. I don't even like changing in front of my cousins, and they're girls."

"Hm." I absently rubbed her arm as I stared down at the floor. Then I sent her a smile, which made her timidly smile back at me. "Well, don't sweat it. Like I said before, you've seen me in my swim trunks and my boxers. Nothing to it. In fact, tell ya what. Why don't you sit here," I lowered her onto the bed, my hands on her shoulders, "and just watch me change into my P.J.s-"

"Zell!" she protested, mouth shielded with a hand as her wide brown eyes stared at me, cheeks flushed. "I can't just… I can't just watch!"

"Sure ya can. Doesn't matter to me. We can chat about what you want to do once we get to Timber." And I stripped out of my t-shirt as I said it. She actually twitched, cheeks burning even more red as she lowered her gaze. My expression softened. "Come on, girl. It's okay. Here. I won't even look at you, so I won't even know if you watch or not."

So, I turned around, chucking my t-shirt at the dresser across the room. It landed in the half-open drawer. "Why don't you change while we're at it?"

"You… You won't tell me when you peek?"

"Nope. Not a word."

She stayed quiet for a short bit, likely biting her lip, so I made my way over to the dresser and pulled out the jersey-knit long-pants she'd gotten me for my birthday. They had 'Dincht' in raised stitched letters on the left front leg. Said she'd done it herself. They were comfortable, too. Smirking, I turned away from the dresser without thinking and stopped dead in my tracks, face and ears red.

Now, you've got to remember that this entire day Sally had been in her swimsuit, only having her tank-tee and wrap-around thing on while the doctor was here. The minute we got back from Fisherman's Horizon she'd taken the tank t-shirt and wrap-around skirt thing off, even though I'd said she could leave it on.

So, when she changed, that meant she had to take off her swimsuit.

What does a girl wear under her swimsuit?

Nothing.

I turned sharply back around, my hands fisting my P.J.s as I scrubbed roughly at my scalp and neck. Sure, she'd only been taking down the second strap of her swimsuit, and her back had been to me, but had I ever seen that much skin-_ Dincht. No._

Clearing my throat, I rubbed and scrubbed at my neck until it stung before trusting myself enough to let go of my now-wrinkled P.J.s and try and change into them from my shorts without falling over. _Dincht… You keep your hands to yourself! _Too bad I had expected her to be wearing a bra. It definitely hadn't prepared me for the fact she wasn't.

I'd just gone into overload.

Bouncing on one foot as I struggled with my P.J.s, I bounced in just the right way to catch sight of Sally pulling her swimsuit the rest of the way off. I fell over. She really did have pink panties with bunnies!

At the crash of me falling over, I heard Sally gasp. But the rest of my view of her was blocked by the bed. "Zell! Are you okay?" Then she was at my side, a worried expression on her face while wearing nothing but a tank-tee and her panties. _Dincht ! No!! _Aw man.…

"Yeah, erm…" I kept my gaze on my hands as they worked my toes free of the material. "Sorry. I got my foot caught."

She rested a hand on my arm. "You sure you didn't hurt yourself?"

…_oh man…_ "Um, yeah, erm, I'm fine. Perfect. No sweat. Not a problem." _Shut up, Dincht. Shut up. _I clenched my jaw to keep from looking at her. But then Sally stood, pulling me up with her. _Oh geez…_

"It doesn't hurt?"

_Don't even think about it! _"Nope." I pressed my lips together and quickly wrestled into my t-shirt. _Sally… please put on some shorts…_

"Okay." And she sounded relieved, giving my arm a brief squeeze before turning and making her way to her side of the bed and the dresser.

I couldn't help it. I peeked as she walked, and immediately wished I hadn't. _Dincht, what are you doing?! _I cleared my throat and made my way to the bathroom. "Did I leave my Combat King in here?" I asked, heading straight for the sink and splashing cold water on my face.

"No. It's over here. Remember? You put it on the dresser after dinner."

She immediately scrambled into bed, the high-pitched sound of toenails and material on sheets the best sound I'd ever heard in my life. _No touch, Dincht! You touch, you die! _Although I was beginning to feel vice versa. What the heck was I going to do to keep myself from making love to my wife?!

Tying myself up in the shower stall sounded like a good idea.

But, unfortunately, that wasn't an option.

Withholding a groan, I dried my face and tried to figure out how I was going to control myself. _Just don't look at her. Yeah. That'll work…_ Um… Not look at her? Big deal! She always smelled better than my favorite dessert! _This is not going to work…_

"Hey, Sally?" I asked, hesitantly looking up to see that she had the covers up to her waist and wore her sport bra under her tank-tee. _Thank Hyne…_

"Hm?" she prompted, smiling while looking through the Combat King.

I nearly ran forward right then and there. _No! _"I totally spaced my workout, so I'm going to go take some laps around. I'll be back in, like, 30 minutes or so." _You really think that's going to be enough? _Hey. I could always hope.

"Can I come?" she asked, setting the magazine aside.

…_aw crap…_ "Um… well…" _You can't tell her why you need to go alone, can you?! _"I, erm, well…" _geez…_ "I don't think that would be a good idea."

She looked about to ask 'Why not?' when she suddenly paled and then flushed and then paled and lowered her gaze to softly say, "Oh."

_Great going, jerk-off!! _But did I risk stepping over there when she probably smelled better than better? Um… no. "Sally… Aw man… Sally, please don't look like that. I… It's okay. Just one of those things I've had to do a hundred times-"

She twitched and covered her face with her hands.

_DINCHT! YOU ASS-WIPE! _I hurried forward, saying "Aw, Sally. Don't cry. I didn't mean it like that," as I scrambled up onto the bed until I was directly across from her. "Come on, girl. Please don't cry." And I was afraid to touch her. I mean, if I touched her… there was no way it would stop there.

"I'm sorry," she cried. "I didn't mean… I… I wish…"

_Don't! _I fisted my hands. "I know, Sally, but seriously. It's okay. I just need some space so I don't do something stupid, that's all. Don't sweat it."

"B-B-But…"

_Screw not touching her! _I drew her into a tight embrace. "Geez, Sally, it's okay. You need time to get ready and I'm trying to give it to you, that's all."

"B-B-But it's s-s-so hard on y-y-y-you…" she sobbed, gripping my shirt.

"I don't give a chocobo's butt about hard or whatever, kitten. It's all you, and if that means getting up in the middle of the night and swimming around the yacht a couple times, then that's what I'm going to do."

And it was the weirdest thing in the world to hold her, hear her sobbing, and feel the control actually get easier. It was like, man, her tears were the cure for my overload. I had always hated seeing her cry. It was like a dagger, you know what I'm saying?

"Come on, Sally. Kitten, please." But she kept crying, sniffling and doing the hiccup thing that always made me feel like slime the same time it made her sound… well… adorable? Don't ask me what the hell I'm talking about. "Dude, you're wreckin' me here. Stop crying…"

But she didn't stop crying until, like, at least an hour later. I'd stopped trying to figure out what to say and just held her. A couple times she apologized, but I nipped that in the bud right quick. There was nothing for her to apologize for just because she didn't want me to jump her the first night out. I mean, geez.

When her crying was more of a sniff, I pulled back and wiped the tears from her cheeks before kissing her forehead and then coaxing her under the covers, me scrambling in beside her to once more draw her close. _Sally… I wish I knew what to say to make you feel better, girl. _But what did a spazoid like me – who had no problems with thinking about, well, you know – have to say about anything like this?

"Go to sleep, kitten. Tomorrow'll make everything look better."

She nodded against me, wrapping her arms tight around me as she whispered, "I so love you," in a choked voice.

"I love you, too. Now go to sleep. I can swim tomorrow." Yeah, like I was going to leave her when she was a crying mess!

"I'm really trying," she whispered. "I really, really am."

"Sally…" I rubbed her back. "Stop trying so hard, kitten. It'll come when you're ready. Really. Just take it as it goes, okay?"

She nodded again. "…okay…"

"Okay. Now go to sleep."

Sally took in and released a deep breath, nodding once more as she tightened her arms briefly around me. Her hold loosened after barely any time and all, and her breathing deepened into that steady rhythm I'd listened to for hours the previous evening. In fact, it sounded even better the second time around.

"…Sally Elizabeth Dincht…" Sally whispered, and then she giggled.

I smirked, stroking her back as I stared up at the ceiling thinking _Rock. On. Dincht._


	4. Rocking the Boat

_**Four ‹ Rocking the Boat ›**_

I yawned, again, and once more looked to Sally who still slept with her arms around me and her cheek against my chest. How she could stay like that through the entire night without so much as a single shuffle I had no idea. But there she was, breathing deeply and looking as sexy as anything I had ever seen in my life. Needless to say, I hadn't slept hardly at all. Not with her against me and the visions of pink satin panties with white bunnies clobbering my imagination like a Wendigo with a new steel pipe.

She'd looked like that the entire night, which had given me some issues - Duh! - but nothing I couldn't deal with. Well, I had dealt with them, yeah, but I knew night two wasn't going to be as easy as night one. I was feeling it, man… bad. I scrubbed a hand down my face. _Duuuuuuude_.… Yeah. I would probably have to take some naps and let her steer the ship. With her in a bikini? Uh… yeah.

_Cold shower, Dincht. Before she wakes up. _Being 'sensitive' was a shitload of work. Of course, I didn't mind too much. I mean, it made me feel worse than a jerk-off when I saw how being an ass made her expression get all… well, I don't know how to explain it. It just sucked! And it had been easy enough to figure out what 'to do' and what 'not to do'. She was good about telling me things. If I did it more than four times, at least. She'd let it slide before then.

I kissed her forehead and tried to scurry out from under the covers, grinning when she mumbled something that I coulda sworn sounded like "lova smotha honey." What it meant I had no idea, but it gave me the shivers, especially since she tightened her arms around me and wrinkled up her face in protest.

"I gotta take a shower, kitten," I told her, careful not to wake her, and placed another kiss on her forehead. "If you're still asleep, I'll 'lova smotha honey' you then. Okay?" Whatever it was sounded like fun!

She sounded a silly giggle, repeating "lova smotha honey" as she momentarily tightened her arms around me before turning to cuddle and kiss her pillow. I pulled the blankets up a little to hide her cute butt and the even better sight of pink panties with bunnies, swallowed hard, scrubbed my neck and my face, and then walked stiffly toward the bathroom. _Duuuuude_.… If I lasted through breakfast until lunch with Mom and Pop, I'd be home free.

"Maybe I could get her to let us spend the night in her old room?" Wouldn't the parentals, as Sally called them, kinda put the damper on being frisky? I remembered, again, the vision of Sally in a tank-tee and pink.… I cranked on the cold water as I shook my head to clear it, stepping under the cold spray and holding back the holler of "Brrr." Hey. I could always hope.

The shower helped get a couple things under control, but I knew it was only a matter of time before I was going to have to do something more… desperate to give Sally her week. The bikini was not going to help matters. _Maybe you should talk her out of it? _But I'd already tried it when she was going to buy the thing in the first place. Once Sally was set on something, she was set.

I let out a quick breath, turned off the shower, and then nearly fell out of the shower stall when I tripped on my pj bottoms just outside the entrance. "Dincht, geez. Try putting them on the counter."

Kicking them aside, I scrubbed myself dry and then absently dressed back into my pjs as I tried to figure out a way to persuade Sally to not wear her bikini. Well, without making her feel horrible, that is. I hated making Sally feel bad. It made me feel worse. _So just hide the bag with the bikinis and don't tell her where it is when she asks. She won't mind them being lost. _Unless she went to the store in Timber to buy another one.

"Aw geez." I just couldn't cut a break.

Sally was still asleep, cooing and giggling as she snuggled her pillow and said a few more phrases that had me nearly laughing aloud. How a girl could be so cute and hot while being timid at the same time I had no idea, but Sally did it every day. I scrubbed at my scalp as I passed by the foot of the bed and to the kitchenette across the hall. Yeah. Every day. These nine months had been some of the hardest in my life.

It wouldn'tve been so bad if I'd had a girlfriend before, someone not afraid to up and slap my face or whatever when I would push a button I didn't know was so fun to push. But I'd barely gone out at all. I'd been kinda busy with all my studies and stuff, the body was an extreme piece of equipment!, and then classes and things.

Selphie and I had even tried going out, just after the war with Ultimecia, but called it quits. We had both been just too busy to really do much more than hang over lunch or something. Well, we'd gone out to a movie once or twice, maybe kissed a couple times, but.… It wasn't that I didn't think Selphie was just as nice to look at as Sally, she was, it was just.… Dude, I don't know. I guess I was just too busy to think about it.

I shrugged and then began searching the cabinets for the box of toaster pastries I'd brought. "It doesn't matter much now anyway, Dincht. Geez," I mumbled.

I heard a scuffle and a mumbled, "Morning," just before Sally wrapped her arms around me and gave me a tight hug.

I tensed, swallowed hard, and then very slowly closed the cupboard as my hand collapsed the box of pastries. _Oops. _I set them down on the counter and patted one of Sally's hands. "Hey, sleepy bunny. What're you doing up? Go back to bed."

"Only if you come, too," she sleepily mumbled, tightening her arms around me. "You're warm."

…_aw geez_… I cleared my throat. "Okay, but the doc's coming, remember?"

"Awwww." She kissed my back and then released a deep breath. "I forgot."

That made me smirk. "Why don't you go take a shower and I'll throw something together for breakfast?" She probably wouldn't want toaster pastries.

"Okay." She snuggled again, gave my back another kiss, and then turned and scuffled back to the room.

I released a quick breath, scrubbing at my neck until it stung. _Duuuuude_.… Yeah. Pretty much. When I heard the spray of the shower water and the click of the bathroom door, I remembered the bag of bikinis with a "Damn!" and turned to hurry back into the master suite. I opened the closet door– whew. They were right there. I double checked to make sure both were there, cursed my decision to not be a sex-hungry guy, and took the bag on deck to stow it with the diving gear.

"It just won't be this week," I promised.

I had eggs and toast ready for her when she came shuffling back into the kitchen wrapped up in a plush, pink terry robe with – you guessed it – bunnies on it. Her hair was wrapped up in a towel, too, making me just stop and stare at her as she made her way forward with a blush on her cheeks and a small smile on her lips.

How could a girl look so sexy just out of the shower? _Duuuuude– Dincht! Geez!!_

I grinned and offered her the plate.

Giggling, she blushed darker and took the plate, informing me, "I'm only wearing my robe because I've got my swimsuit on under it and can't get myself to wear only it just yet."

"Oh that's okay," I quickly said, loving the sight of pink and bunnies and wrapped towels with stray hair poking out of it. "You look sexier than Janine." Damn straight!

She giggled again, standing on tiptoes to kiss me on the cheek.

What could I do? I pulled her close, of course making sure she didn't spatter me with eggs, and wiggled my eyebrows at her before giving her one of my favorite kinds of kisses. Those slow ones that wreck havoc inside and out, frying my brain and a bunch of other things. They were the best!

I heard the splut of her plastic plate full of breakfast hitting the floor – barely heard it, anyway – seconds before she wrapped her arms around my neck. _Booya! _But Zellander – the little prick – kicked me in the head and made me back off to smile down at her as she just stood there with parted lips and still-closed eyes looking better than ever.

Who needed breakfast, anyway?

Sally finally opened her eyes, very slowly, and the chocolate brown of those orbs gave me the chills. The good chills. "Hi."

Her lips tilted upward and she said, "Hi," as her eyes started to twinkle. Then she giggled, shielding her mouth as her eyes crinkled at the corners.

That wrecked me, bad.

"I dropped my breakfast."

I laughed and gave her a tight squeeze before letting her go and turning to clean up the mess. "That's okay. My bad. I just couldn't take it no more."

She brought some paper towels and knelt to help me. "I didn't mind," she admitted, sending a quick sidelong glance.

_Dincht… no…_ Aw man. I chucked her under the chin and then took the dirty paper towels from her. "Come on, Meg. Let's go swimming. I think I heard dolphins last night and I wanna see." _Yeah. I wanna see you in your suit. _Who cared if it was still the one-piece?

She eagerly nodded and then followed me on deck. I sent a glance to the gear box, my smile twitching upward. Next week. _Heheheheheh._

***

The doc didn't come.

He called though, saying he had another couple meetings with the guys at the Foundation. We told him we were off to Timber, and so he said he would do his best to meet us there later. Sally didn't mention the 'lost' bikinis, thank Hyne. She never once brought them up. I figured it was either 'out of sight out of mind' like me, or she didn't really want to go through with her plan. Hey. As long as it made my life a little easier, I was fine with it.

We swam a bit before and after the doc called, saw some dolphins – even a whale! – and then munched down a couple boxes of cereal bars while playing Triple Triad – and footsies! – after calling her folks and letting them know the yacht was finally trudging toward Timber. I was going to need to have a word with Pop about the whole 'gotta wait to have sex until she's ready' thing, again, because every minute I was with her I kept forgetting why I was letting her lead me.

If she didn't want to, Winhill wouldn't have happened.

But I didn't know what she was afraid of that kept her back, and I didn't want to be an ass-wipe the first week of our honeymoon. Sure I thought about just kissing her again like I did in the kitchen and letting it go from there (that's pretty much what had happened in Winhill), but… I don't know. Right after thinking that, I'd get a twitch. No, having sex with Sally for the first time ever wouldn't be bad – hell no! – but I kinda wanted to give her the space she wanted. I mean, she gave me mine, so why not? If I didn't, it might make her hate me in the process.

That was not an option.

I released a quick breath, noticed Sally's concerned glance, and told myself to 'shut up'. _You should be thinking about getting your hands on all of that magi… magiz…_ I looked up, catching Sally's gaze. "What were those crystals again? Magizite?"

She smiled. "Magicite. Uh-huh. Why?"

"Oh nothing." I placed a card and turned two of hers. _Oops. Dincht, she's supposed to win this one! Geez! Pull your head out! _"Just thinking."

"I know. You've been rubbing at your tattoo." She leaned her arms and elbows on the table. "Zell, please don't worry. Dr. Tahlson says they don't get magic immediately, the people who have the crystals. I'm sure we'll find them in time."

"Yeah, I guess. It's just…" I slammed my cards down a little harder than I intended. "It's just we don't even know if the program thing he made will find them all. Or any. I can't report that crap to Squall. It would look like I didn't do my job."

"But you are." Sally reached over and covered my hand with hers, stroking the skin with her thumb in that way she did that sent me through the roof. I lowered my gaze to the action. "You are doing your job. You're doing more than your job. That's more than anyone else would have done on their honeymoon. Except for maybe Cmdr. Squall or Seifer. Oh, and Marshal." She gave my hand a squeeze when I didn't look up.

To be honest, I was afraid to. The table was just the right size… ahem.

"Zell, sweetie…"

_Man I love it when she calls me that. _"I know, kitten, it's just…" It was just I wanted to protect her and all my friends and I didn't know how to do that here.

"Awww." She stood and came around behind me to wrap me in a hug and kiss my neck. "Everything will turn out okay, Zell. It almost always does when you're involved."

Seifer woulda laughed his ass off at that.

I smirked and drew her around to sit on my lap, pulling her close. _Booya!! _"Thanks, Sally. It's nice to hear that every once in awhile." Who knew? "Sometimes I forget I'm not the Garden screw-up anymore."

She released a deep sigh that gave me the shivers. "You've never been the 'screw-up'," she whispered. "That's why I know it'll be okay."

I held her closer, not really ready for what those words did to me on the inside. They actually choked me up. At least a little. I mean… Man. I just didn't get how to take someone like Sally. I mean, she couldn't be real.

Could she?

Sally snuggled against me and said, "I like it like this. Let's just stay like this for a bit."

Stroking her hair, I closed my eyes and admitted to myself that staying 'just like this' was pretty damn great. "Okay."

Nothing else? No expectations? Just like before? Yeah. It was definitely awesome. Especially for a hyper-active spazoid like me who wasn't happy unless he was busy all the time. But spending more and more time with Sally these last few months had made me start to… stop and just listen, I guess. Chill. Take it easy. Relax. Something like that. Sure I'd been laid back before, but this was a different kind. One I don't think I could really explain right. At least, not and make sense to anyone but me.

I guess the best way to explain it would be: No pressure.

Sally was my 'safe zone'.

I know I'd said it before, but holy Hyne, it rocked on so many different levels.

Sally and I musta been in that chair at the table for at least an hour. My butt had fallen asleep 20 minutes before, but I didn't care. I had my wife in my lap. I had a wife in my lap. There was no way I was going to make her stand up so that I could get feeling in my butt. My butt could fall off for all I cared!

But, of course, when I knew Sally had fallen asleep – she mumbled that 'lova smotha honey' thing again! – that was when the security phone rang. I swore, did my best to grab up the phone from the table without jostling Sally awake, and then hissed "Yeah?"

It was the doc.

"Hey, doc," I whispered. Sally snuggled and mumbled before giving a happy coo and then going back to wherever she was. I smirked, kissed her forehead, and then focused back on the conversation. "This isn't the best time. Sally's asleep."

"_Ah. Well, I won't take up much of your time, then. The purpose of my call was to let you know I've postponed those few meetings with the Foundation until later tomorrow. I don't believe it would be wise to put off installing the tracking system for much longer. Not considering the possible dangers."_

I looked to Sally as she slept, her peaceful expression being both good and bad. _You've got to protect her, Dincht. _Damn straight. "Okay, doc. Sure. I'll anchor it here and let her folks know that we'll be in tomorrow instead." There was no way I was going to let some terrorist radicals or Purist jerk-offs make her life miserable. "How soon can you get here?"

"_No more than 15 minutes. Is that too soon?"_

"Nah. Don't sweat it. Come ahead. We'll be ready for ya."

"_Very good. We'll see you then."_

I clicked off the phone and set it aside, carefully standing with Sally still in my arms and cuddled against my chest. She murmured "smotha lova," giggled, and then adjusted herself against me while nuzzling her nose against my neck. Between sparks, withheld laughter, and suddenly not being able to see where I was going, I somehow got down to the master cabin without killing us both.

Once I'd gotten her onto the bed without waking her, she sighed "Zelly bunny," and then tightly hugged her pillow as she giggled. I shook my head before kissing her hair, she always smelled like vanilla now, and then closed the door behind me. "Dincht… the hell?" I had no idea, but then again, this was the first time I'd been with her this long at a stretch. How was I to know she talked in her sleep? _It's kinda hot. _Especially since she was talking about me. I chuckled, once more shaking my head as I made my way on deck.

The doc showed up a few minutes later with his usual geekdom treasures (his computer and stuff). This time he looked less like a geek than before, wearing denim shorts and a t-shirt. He actually looked normal. Not that it mattered. It was just I knew Seifer woulda had a field day was all, when we finally reported all this crap, and the guy was a kick. He didn't need Seifer on him like a bad rash.

"Hey, doc. How's it goin?"

"Very well, thank you."

I accepted his computer bag, the big one, as he climbed aboard. Then I gestured to the main helm. "We can set it up in there, I guess." I pointed to the cockpit above. "Unless that's okay? Sally would get a kick of that."

"We can install the main system in the weatherproof cabin and then run an alternate screen to the satellite tracking unit already install–"

"You just have to say yes, doc," I told him, laughing.

He slightly smiled. "So sorry. Yes."

I cuffed him on the arm. "S'okay, doc. S'okay."

Doc motioned to me. "Will Sally not be joining us?"

"She's sleeping." And boy did I wish I were there, but her protection came first. "So let's get cracking. I wanna have this done before she wakes up."

"Certainly." He motioned ahead. "This is what we need to do…"

***

Zell and Dr. Tahlson working on the Esper magicite tracking system woke me eventually. Unfortunately, I couldn't make myself go on deck to help. Why? I was busy staring at a small lingerie box I had pulled from a hidden place in my dresser. My cheeks flushed crimson, fingers shaking so bad I could barely nibble my fingernail without risking biting my finger off. Then I cleared my throat, twitched when I heard Zell laugh above, and hesitantly opened the box. A pale-pink, one-piece satin teddy that Ahndra had given at my bachelorette party.

Don't even ask what Janine had bought me.

_You can do this, Sally. There's nothing to it. Just don't think. That's all. Shut your brain off. You can do that now. _Worrying my lower lip, I glanced to the closet where Zell had stuffed the bag of bikinis. If I was going to wear those, this was the next step. They covered more. _But… But they're for… well… you know what they're for, Sally! _I gave my braid a tug and then a second one.

I knew exactly what they were for.

_Sally, it was hard enough for Zell last night, remember? How can you do this to him? _But how could I get used to the idea of being intimate with my husband if I didn't face the possibility. I didn't want to be scared of it anymore.

I bit my lip once more before stripping out of my swimsuit and changing into the teddy. Then I stood in the bathroom, red all over, and just stared at myself in the mirror. I'd never seen myself with eyes as big, or cheeks as red as they were now. I gave my braid another tug, with both hands clasping the end, before forcing myself to exit the bathroom and then climb up onto the bed. I heard Zell and the doctor talking, Zell getting last minute directions on how it all worked, and then Zell was saying "See ya later, doc. We'll call ya if anything funky starts up."

My heart was pounding so hard and so fast as I positioned myself between the pillows that I thought I was going to pass out. My ears and face burned so hot that I thought I would melt, and my breathing sounded so loud I was certain I'd wake the dead. _You can do this, Sally. You can. _I nodded, gripping the pillow cases on each side of me as my wide eyes focused on the door of the cabin when I heard Zell's footsteps loping down the stairs as he whistled some tune I'd heard him whistle before.

It was a jazzy version of 'Eyes on Me.'

Zell quietly opened the door, peeking his head around the door– and then giving a blink of surprise when his blue eyes focused on me. He suddenly straightened, shocked, before he grinned and exulted "Pink teddy!" Then he rushed forward, scrambling up onto the bed with such a silly expression that I couldn't help but giggle. Especially when his foot caught in the covers and caused a 'trip' of sorts that sent him sprawling into my arms and sent me back deeper into the pillows.

I squealed and laughed "Zell, be careful!"

Zell chuckled, the sound reverberating through me as he struggled to disentangle limbs from covers and sheets. Finally, he pushed himself up and moved back, sitting cross-legged as he drew me up to sit the same across from him. He continued to hold my hands. "Hi, beach bunny."

"Hi."

"You're in my favorite color," he observed, still grinning.

I softly giggled. "I know." My cheeks burned his favorite color, too.

His adorable grin softened to a boyish smile. "What do you wanna do?"

Shaking my head with ears burning, heart pounding, and smile permanently tilting my lips upward, I softly confessed, "I don't know."

"Wanna make out?"

I softly giggled and wrinkled my nose at him.

Zell wiggled his eyebrows at me, saying "Let's wrestle," in a dangerously boyish tone just before he dove forward, arms extended.

I squealed and gave him a push, rolling and trying to scramble away. He caught my ankle, eliciting another squeal and a giggle, and pulled me toward him. "Gotcha!"

"Nuh-uh!" and I sat upward as fast as I could, using the inertia and my body weight to make him lose his balance and topple backward… There I sat, on his stomach, grinning down at him as he grinned at me with my hands on his chest and his on my waist. "I won." Finally.

He wiggled his eyebrows at me and prompted "Who says?" just before he flipped me onto my back, my feet going into the air as I squealed and laughed.

But we were both too good at using our body and inertia and things like that to have it be a simple game, and that was the best part. Rolling around on the bed, tussling and laughing and wrestling… The touch was an intimacy of a different kind, and so much deeper in meaning than our shared workout sessions because of where our relationship was.

We were married.

Sheets and bedclothes, pillows and comforters littered the floor of the master cabin around the bed by the time we'd worn ourselves out to just lay sprawled at a somewhat odd diagonal, Zell on his back and me lying on top of him where I'd collapsed with a giggle and a deep sigh. We were sweaty and sticky and completely exhausted, our muscles burning and our heart-rate beating in-time as we laid there together, my arms around him and his around me. Simply enjoying each other.

It was awesome.

Zell kissed my hair as his hand continued to softly stroke the small of my back and the upper part of my backside with a soothing that worked its way down past the shyness and the fear to the wife and lover I so wanted to be. _I'm trying, Zell. I really am. _He was being more than patient.

"You smell nice," he said quietly, breath tickling my ear.

I pressed my lips against a sweaty shoulder. "So do you." I heard him yawn and snuggled as his action drew a yawn from me. "I'm sleepy."

"Me, too," he said through another yawn. "I'm gonna take a nap. You stay there."

"Okay…" I sighed, smiling as sleep beckoned me to share pleasant dreams and futures.


	5. The Search

_**Five ‹ The Search ›**_

Later, after our nap, we did 'take-two' of the dressing challenge, this one a little easier. But only because Zell stayed turned away while he dressed into his denim shorts and tank. Both Balamb-blue. He firmly directed me to watch, so rather than argue (which wouldn't have worked anyway) I did as I was told. I just wish I hadn't liked watching him change so much. It made me feel a little… odd. All hot and red and barely holding in the silly giggle as I had my hands clapped tightly over my mouth.

_Booya!_

Now we were on deck in the raised 'cockpit' above the main navigation center.

"This is so exciting," I confessed in a bright voice, my arms tightening around Zell's middle as he guided the yacht. The brightness of the sun mixed with the sounds of the waves against the ship and the breeze whipping the sails… There was no way Zell and I were going to steer the yacht from the enclosed helm.

Zell chuckled and gave my arm a soft stroke. "Just keep your eyes on the monitor and I'll give you as much excitement as I can."

I giggled. "I don't know how much more I can handle." I shrugged my shoulders in a happy movement of wedded bliss. "All this adventure and romance is wonderful, Zell." And it made the future possibility all the easier to admit.

"Heh. I didn't mean for it to happen, but hey. I try and take things as they come."

I gave him another tight squeeze. "And you've done more than that here, sweetie. You've taken command and led us on an adventure where we can make our friends safer." I looked up at him as he intensely scrutinized the horizon, occasionally glancing down at the computer screen as well as the ship's navigational equipment. The seriousness of his expression and the job that he'd taken upon himself made me love him even more. "You should get a medal for this, Zell," I said softly.

That gathered Zell's attention. He grinned. "A medal? Nah. I'm just doing my job."

My smile softened. "I know, and you're doing it when you're on your honeymoon." I stood on tiptoes to give him a kiss. "I love you most for that."

Zell kissed my nose. "Most girls would hate me for that, Meg. You're backwards." He pressed his lips against my forehead. "I love you for that."

"Awww," I cooed as I wrapped my arms around his neck.

He chuckled. "Meg, I can't see the gadgets."

I giggled and moved to my previous position of lowered head with my cheek against his chest and my arms around his middle. "Sorry."

"Don't sweat it. Just save it for later, when I can give you more… personal attention."

I flushed and tightened my arms around him, loving the sound of that promise. "The Works?"

Zell laughed. "Okay. The Works."

I giggled. _Duh!_

*

The early afternoon passed without any signals appearing on the computer screen. Considering we didn't know where to even begin looking, we had hoped we would be lucky. It didn't work. We'd even gone back to the place where we had found the first crystal. Again, nothing. So, over dinner we called Dr. Tahlson and talked options and possibilities for making it a little bit less like looking for a needle in a field of grass.

That was when I made a very dangerous suggestion.

"Maybe we should load the software onto my handheld and utilize the satellite," I offered timidly. Silence settled in the lower dining cabin as Zell and Dr. Tahlson both focused on me – Dr. Tahlson, of course, via secure web-cam. "Then," I continued cautiously, "we could scan a greater area with a higher percentage of-"

"Sally," Zell said in a meaningful tone that I hadn't heard him really use before. He sent a glance toward the doctor before again focusing on me. "Sally, do you have any idea what… what he would do if he found out…?"

"I know, Zell, but if we don't find these someone else might, and I think he would hate the idea of that even worse."

"But the satellite?" Zell pressed, giving his scalp a vicious rub.

I looked to the doctor. "Dr. Tahlson, I'm going to cut off the connection for a little bit. Just five minutes or so."

Dr. Tahlson nodded, sending me an easy smile. "Certainly, Sally. I'll wait here."

I hit the appropriate keys and then focused on Zell, leaning forward to softly grip his thighs just above his knees. "I'm a Special Security Officer, Zell. If I didn't suggest this, I wouldn't be doing my best."

"But it's your ass on the line, Sally," he said, covering my hands with his. "I can't let you do this. What kind of husband would I be?"

"Mine."

Zell lowered his gaze and shook his head, his hands tightening their hold on mine. "Sally, I can't. If you use the satellite without Seifer or Squall's permission…" He met my gaze. "Even installing the non-Garden software on your handheld will make Seifer crap kittens. All he'll think about is possible viruses and spyware programs and all that other stuff. But for you to use it and the satellite. He could classify you a 'rogue' SeeD and transfer you to Deling!"

"Of course he could, but he won't."

"Why? Because it's you? Because you're my wife? I don't get special privileges, Sally."

"I know you don't, Zell. Neither do I. But the fact that we're doing our best to protect Garden as well as all the people they try to protect puts us under a different set of rules. The _Special Contingent Rules for Under-Cover Operatives_. That means using any means necessary to dissuade a possible threat, as long as those means don't jeopardize Garden." I adjusted my hands to hold his and gave them a tight squeeze. "You trust me, don't you?"

"Of course, Sally," he said, expression almost pained.

"And you know I'd take any and all precautions to ensure Garden remained safe, right?"

He nodded.

"Then will you trust me with this?" I shook my head, holding his dark blue gaze. "I promise I won't let anything bad happen to you, me, or Garden. I just want to do my best to protect everyone, and this is the only way I think we can do it."

Zell's intense expression tightened as he argued fiercely with himself. It was our only option. There was no way we could search for the shards without the satellite, which meant that we wouldn't be able to protect people. Which always rubbed Zell the wrong way. He lived to protect people.

Finally, he released a quick breath. "Okay, Sally, but there's no way in hell I'm letting Seifer put this all on you. We're doing this together, so we take the heat together."

I nodded, giving his hands another tight squeeze. "Okay."

Dr. Tahlson walked me through the installation and fine-tuning as Zell steered the yacht from the cockpit. Once done, I made my way on deck and connected the handheld to the computer monitor we'd set up. Almost immediately after the satellite came online with the handheld we had two 'blips' on screen. Zell and I must have stared at those two locations for a full minute before meeting gazes and then giving an audible breath of relief. Then he set the coordinates to the nearest one and gathered me into his arms.

"This is the only other time I ever wish you didn't have your job," he admitted, arms tightening around me.

Nodding my head against him, I closed my eyes and released a soft breath as I stroked his back. "I know, sweetie. You want to protect everyone, but that's just not possible. We've all got to take risks in our lives. Especially when we want to help other people."

"I'm not thinking about 'other people' right now, Sally. I'm thinking about the job you love so much. I'm thinking about how miserable you'll be if you get demoted or transferred or fired…" He pushed back, the serious expression making his blue eyes dark. "I'm thinking about your record and all the things you won't be able to do if this puts a black mark where a medal should go."

Giving a very slight shake of my head, I gripped his arms. "You can't, Zell. Please. I need you to be like you always are, taking things as they go and doing your best in each situation to see the good. If you don't… I…" I rapidly blinked the surprising rise of tears and shook my head again. "I need you to help me be strong and determined in this, because I know this is the right thing to do. I feel it all the way down."

"…oh man…" Zell kissed my forehead and drew my tight against him. "I'm sorry, Sally. I…" If possible, his arms tightened around me. "You've got it, girl. One strong protector at your service."

A giggle came at that, shooing the tension away as the sound danced on the breeze. I stroked his back and nuzzled his chest with my cheek. "My hero," I sighed.

Zell kissed my neck. "Is it okay if this hero makes out with you for a couple minutes?" he asked, his lips tickling my skin and eliciting a shiver and a tightening of my arms around him.

And I loved it that he asked. It made me feel important. Special. More. I happily smiled, closing my eyes as I whispered "…oh yeah…" and accepted his kiss and the shivers and tenacious tingles that always came when he touched me the way he did. And the more time I spent with him like this, exploring a deeper relationship of trust and intimacy, the more I felt… less afraid.

***

We arrived at the first and closest spot around nine that evening, so we turned on the spotlight in addition to the deck lights. Then, as Zell fumbled with the lock of the diving gear, he sent me below to get a jacket when my teeth started chattering.

I loved the protective attention.

Finally, Zell was in his wet-suit and I was worrying my lip, not very happy at my obsession with being 'responsible'. Why? Because it meant I couldn't go down with him.

"And how deep down is it?" Zell asked, pulling the zipper on his wet-suit up to his neck. "85 feet?"

I nodded, checking the gauges on his oxygen tanks. "Give or take five or so. For some reason I'm having problems getting an accurate reading."

He slipped the tanks onto his back, securing them before meeting my gaze and giving me a wink. "You should be coming down with me, you know."

Kissing his cheek, I gave his shoulders a squeeze. "I wish, but I need to watch the equipment and give you directions. Here." I handed him a waterproof earpiece. "I'll be talking to you through this."

Slipping it into his ear, he then pulled the hood of his wet-suit up. Once he high-stepped to the side, he turned to give me another wink, immediately stepping over and into the water with a splash.

I hurried to the side, adjusting my headpiece and turning on the mic. "Zell? Can you hear me?"

He bobbed to the surface, goggles and mouthpiece in place, and gave me a thumbs-up.

"Okay. Be careful, sweetie." He gave me another thumbs-up and then dove beneath the surface, flippers seemingly waving 'I'll be back in a sec.'

Releasing a sigh, I made my way back to the equipment to monitor his progress and give him any needed adjustment in heading. Zell reached the specified point and stopped, hovering there for what seemed hours even though it was - at most - ten minutes. Then his 'blip' on the screen began slowly making its way to the surface.

I felt so much relief at his ascent that I started happily chatting about the prospective visit to Winhill - one of the shards had shown up there - and whether or not we could stay at Ellone's house rather than at the Inn. I chatted about picnics and making out at the tree-fort, which got me off onto the subject of how cute Ahndra and Marshal were as a couple and how in the world they could have a long-distance relationship without going crazy.

Then I started venting about Quistis and Zack and how they were so irresponsible to elope when so many people wanted to celebrate their possible happiness, besides the fact that they missed my wedding! Then I asked Zell to help me plan a prank to get Zack back for the one he suggested to Seifer - forgetting that I had promised myself to not let him know about the elevator incident - and immediately went off onto the tangent of whether or not Janine and Seifer would actually get married or elope.

Poor Zell.

Then the monitor showed he was nearly to the surface and I rushed to the side, gripping it with white-knuckled hands as I waited– he bobbed to the surface and I squealed his name, lifting an arm to wave. He looked up and gave me a salute of finger to forehead before silently motioning me to lift anchor and guide the yacht over to his position. I excitedly nodded and scrambled to the cockpit to do as I was told.

"Was it pretty down there?" I asked as I helped him aboard.

He shrugged out of the tanks and brushed back the hood of his wet-suit as he knelt on the deck in a puddle, me kneeling beside him and ignoring the small chest to his left. Then Zell turned to me and gave a warning "Come here, bunny," before gathering my giggling and squealing self into his lap and giving me a very welcome kiss.

I was now soaked to the bone, but who cared?

He lifted his head, a hand stroking my tummy to the tune of flips and flops and visions of some delightful possibilities as he grinned down at me. "Dude-ette, you're sexy when you talk my ear off."

I smoothed his hair back from his face. "And you're sexy when you listen."

Zell's lips twitched before he gingerly helped me up out of his lap. "Come on. Let's get this thing opened. Can you hand me that crowbar there? Thanks."

The lock was popped and the chest opened to reveal yet another green and red crystal.

"Cool. It worked." Zell presented me the crystal and then lowered his focus back to the chest. "Whoa. We've got some great stuff in here. Another bangle. A circlet, to wear on your head I guess. A bunch of rings, and a couple daggers. Dude! All of these've got gems and runes– Rock on! There's another crystal down here under these coins!"

"Oh my goodness!" I exclaimed, moving around to kneel beside him. I accepted the second crystal and held it in my other hand. As with the first, the warmth of the crystals awoke a type of secondary power within. I looked up to Zell as he watched my reaction to the crystals. "I wonder what the Espers' names were? It's sad that we don't have any way of knowing." My gaze lowered to the crystals as I softly stroked them with my thumbs. "They should be remembered."

He gave a smile and caressed my cheek with the back of a single finger, causing a flush. Then he looked back to the chest. "Well, I guess we take this stuff down below and have Tahlson come and check it out tomorrow. Then we'll head over to Winhill and grab the other one. We'll have to put off a day with your folks again."

Nodding, I stood to my feet as Zell did the same. Then he took the crystals back from me, staring down at them a moment with a thoughtful look on his face before setting them back inside the chest and lowering the lid.

"What?" I prompted.

"Oh, I just wondered if we could summon one and ask them what happened. I mean," he met my gaze, "if it's their essence, maybe it's alive enough to know what's going on? Kind of like… I don't know. A 'sense' or something."

I looked back down at the chest. "Yeah," I admitted absently.

"Only problem is, we don't know how much control we'd have over it. If they're anything like the Guardian Forces, we wouldn't be able to ask a blasted question."

I nodded and lifted my gaze to meet Zell's. "Right again."

He shrugged. "Oh well. Something'll come up." Then he looked over at me with a lopsided smile. "Come on. Let's go give the doc a shout. He'll crap kittens."

I giggled, accepting Zell's hand and then following him to the enclosed helm to the security phone.

Zell punched in the doc's number, giving my hand continued pressures as he winked at me and waited for the doctor to pick up. I wrinkled my nose at him and squeezed his hand back.

"Hey, doc." Zell pulled me close against him, me eagerly going. "We got an awesome haul this time. Think you can come out tomorrow morning to check 'em out?" Zell kissed me lightly on the lips a couple times. "Just tells us where and we'll head on over on the way to Timber." He kissed me a couple more times, making me sound a silly giggle as I tightened my arms around him.

The doctor made a response, but could I hear it? No. Did I mind? No.

"Sure thing, doc." Zell nuzzled my cheek. "Be there. Talk to ya later." Then he set down the phone, lifting his head to grin down at me.

I timidly smiled and flushed. "What?"

Taking hold of my hands, he directed one to the zipper of his wet-suit. "Wanna help me out of this thing?"

I giggled. "You silly boy. Of course I'll help. I remember how much trouble you had getting into this."

Zell chuckled. "Yeah. I hate 'em. They're always a pain."

I unzipped and then helped him peel out of it, beating back a surprising desire to help him out of everything. _Sally? Are you…_ I momentarily bit my lower lip, watching as Zell set aside the wet-suit and started giving his tummy and sides a collection of scratches. I watched the action and found myself mesmerized by the wonder… I stepped closer, a harder bite of my lip causing a twitch, and hesitantly took hold of the bottom of his tank-tee to slowly lift. "Why don't we get this sweaty shirt off you. You're itching," I commented very quietly.

He grinned. "Okay."

I tossed it aside and then swallowed a burp of fear to give his tummy and sides soft scratches with my fingernails as I smiled up at him. "There?" I asked as his stomach tensed and twitched.

His grin widened, if that was at all possible. "Oh yeah. Definitely like that."

I flushed and giggled, leaning in to give him a brief kiss as my fingers continued to scratch and rub and I continued to giggle. Zell continued to kiss, nibble, and chuckle, too, and I noticed it was different then before. Yet it was the same. What had changed I couldn't say, but it definitely had me hoping that maybe I was another big step closer to being able to be his wife in more than just name. He had been so patient…

Zell gave me one last kiss and then pulled me close and tight against him, resting his chin on my head as I snuggled my cheek against his chest. After releasing a deep breath he said, "It's getting late, Meg. We better turn in."

"Okay." And the fear came then. A fear I still didn't understand.

I tightened my hand on his as we made our way below-deck and to the master cabin. If only there could have been some way I could ask these questions, but I didn't even know what I was afraid of. At first I thought it might have been the act of intimacy itself. Mom and I had talked a lot about it, and that had made me a little afraid. But it was different than that.

At least, I think it was.

But because I wasn't sure if I knew, as a fact, what I was afraid of, I didn't know how to talk to Zell about it. What if it wasn't a general 'fear of the unknown'? What if I wasn't afraid of the fact that I couldn't control what was going to happen? What if it was something that went a lot deeper? What if… What if I was afraid that he wouldn't… he wouldn't love me after… after making love to me?

I stared at 'my side' of the bed as Zell silently changed out of his swim trunks and into his PJs. That fear was silly, I… I think I knew that, but… But what if that was what I was really afraid of? A lot of things changed when people were married, or so Zack said. _What if… What if this is one of them? What if I…_ I worried my lower lip until it hurt.

I was still staring at the bed when Zell had changed and turned to face me.

"Hey." He came to stand beside me, his hand resting softly on my back. I couldn't lift my gaze from the bed. "Sally? What's the matter?"

But I didn't know how to tell him. What was wrong. How he made me feel. I didn't know how to… to… 'just go for it,' as Janine would likely say. There was always a doubt. A second-guess. I sniffed and hiccuped on the tears before I even knew they were there.

"Aw man." Zell drew my close, his arms wrapping protectively around me. "Kitten…"

"Z-Zell…" I hid my face in the softness of his gray t-shirt. "I-I don't know w-what to do." And my brain seemed to burn with something… But I didn't understand. I just needed him to show me what to do. To teach me a different way to show him how much I loved him. How much I… trusted him.

"I know, Sally," Zell said, voice low. "Don't sweat it. You just gotta take it at your own pace. We'll get there."

Again and again and again he didn't push more than what I could do. Like with our entire relationship. He would nudge a boundary, letting me know it was alright to go that little bit further, and then wait to let me make the step. Zell was the best thing that had ever happened to me, changing my entire life for the better and then giving me someone to share that with. I… I hadn't ever had that before. Not like this. Not ever.

Zell tenderly rubbed at my back, placing a soft kiss at my temple. "I'm not going anywhere, kitten. It's you and me, alright? You just do what you need."

I squeezed my eyes shut tight, tears dripping down my cheeks as my love and desire for this man fanned outward like… like… I don't know. It was the most intense and awesome feeling in the world. An intensity and warmth that made me pull back and cup his face in my hands and kiss him, and again, and again, whispering his name and how much I loved him and then letting that feeling of passion scramble past the fear and take me wherever it wanted to… and when Zell's kiss began to speak a different language…

I wanted to speak it, too.


	6. Dawn

_**Six ‹ Dawn ›**_

When I opened my eyes, it was to the best sight on the entire planet. Something I never thought I would ever see, even though this was the third time I'd woken to it. I smiled, greeting, "Hey, Sally," the same time my mind bounced between a booya-rific dream and the fact that she was really in my bed.

"Hey," she whispered, flushing before looking away.

I could tell she'd been awake for a while, because she didn't have the creases on her cheeks. _Man, she's gorgeous…_ A yawn interrupted the thought, and how tired I felt made me wonder what time it was. I brushed some hair from my face as I pushed myself up to look out the window at the head of the master bed. When I saw it was only just past sun-up, I thought _Oh. No wonder,_ just before I remembered another reason why I was so tired.

_Oh yeah!_ I lowered myself back down to one elbow, smiling over at Sally and her braids, loving how her hair poked out all over. I reached over to brush some hair from her face. _Dude, she's so soft._ "How you doin'?" I asked quietly. I was doing– Booya!

She flushed darker, if possible, and sent me one of those awesome timid smiles. "I'm okay."

I couldn't look away from her beautiful brown eyes, my smile softening as I felt the passion hit me upside the back of the head. _Chill, Dincht!_ I jerked hard on my control and adjusted my position to rest my cheek against her upper chest, wrapping my arms around her to just listen to her heart-beat. I closed my eyes, drawing in and releasing several deep breaths as I tried not to remember how awesome- _Don't, Dincht!_

I really hadn't meant for it to happen, not that I regretted it! No way! It was just I hadn't expected it at all. I had thought it would be at least another week. But when she'd started kissing me like that and saying my name like that and how much she loved me… My brain had just shut off. Next thing I knew I had been kissing and touching her like I'd wanted since before Winhill.

Booya!

Once or twice I might have gotten sense enough to say her name, fully meaning to ask if she was really ready, but then nada. Zip. Zilch. Not when she'd looked at me with those brown eyes and that soft smile, the rise and fall of her breathing lifting my thumbs as they stroked the soft skin of her midriff… Nope. Nothing doing. It would've been like trying to stop a runaway train with a marshmallow… or something.

And performance freak or not, being with Sally had been… easy. Instinct. Old school. I don't know. We just clicked. Sure there was the fumble and the 'oops', which made her giggle and invite another kiss and touch… then there was just… just us. Just Booya!-awesome us. I couldn't have dreamt it better, and believe me when I say I've had some pretty Booya! scenarios. She blew them away.

I must have stared at her for hours after she drifted to sleep, wondering if I'd screwed everything with a push that should have been a step back. Before meeting her, I probably wouldn't have cared. I would've taken it as it came and not given a second thought to the consequences. But this was Sally. She was shy and modest and… and I loved her. I wanted to make her happy.

That was one of the reasons I'd tried my damndest to give her the space she needed. Yeah I was a performance freak, so I didn't want her to look at me with a '…the hell?!' expression, but it was more than that. I just didn't know how to explain it. The only thing I could say was, "I didn't know how you'd look at me this morning." And that kind of confession was damn hard.

Sally softly stroked my hair, not saying a word. I loved how it felt, but when she didn't say anything that would've made me feel better, that had me by the balls. I mean, Sally always tried to make me feel better if it sounded like I was bugged by something. That was one of the things I loved about her.

When she let out a slow breath but still didn't say anything, I lifted my head and met her gaze. She had a small smile on her face, but… Well… It looked a little…. not Sally. "Sally? You okay?" _You ass-wipe! You jumped her like some hormone freak!_

But then her smile changed. It… It 'softened' I guess. To one of those that always wrecked me. And before I could grab a firm hold of my control, she caressed my tattoo and the hair above my ear and whispered, "I'm fine, Zell," immediately wrapping her arms around my neck and kissing my cheek as she pulled herself close.

_DINCHT!!_

But it was too late. The minute she whispered "I love you," in a sexy teary voice while nuzzling her lips against my neck, I was gone.

***

…_Dincht…. the hell?!…_

I stared up at the ceiling of the master suite, mind dazed. I hadn't meant the second time to happen, but I'll be damned if it wasn't even better than the first! How someone like Sally could learn something like that as fast as she did… I swallowed hard and rubbed at my scalp, moving my focus to her as she slept with her cheek against my chest and her arm draped over me. My smile softened. _Dude, do you have any idea what you've gotten yourself into here?_ Yeah. Three weeks of heaven on earth.

Three weeks? Try a lifetime!

Yeah, and I was fine with that. Booya!-fine.

I released a quick breath and shook my head, moving my hands to undo the bands that held her braids and then unravel them, twisting the locks between my fingers. _Duuuuuuuuuuude….._ A continued stroke of her hair elicited a deep breath and a mumbled "…five more minutes…" as she adjusted her position closer against me.

"Sure, kitten," I whispered. "Sleep as long as you want." I didn't mind, and after putting up with me? She deserved more than five minutes.

I let out another deep breath, still caressing her hair and her face as I scrubbed at my scalp while trying to figure out how to ask her if I had been out of line while not embarrassing the hell out of her. _Out of line, Dincht? She's your wife. How can making love to her be 'out of line'?_ But I didn't know. I just wanted to make sure. I mean, the whole 'week' thing kept kicking me in the head.

_Dude. Just let it go. If she's got a problem, she'll let you know._

I gave a single curt nod and then rested my free hand behind my head, smiling at the ceiling as I kept stroking Sally's hair and back. How life could get any better I had no idea. I was married to a hottie like Sally. I had a great position with Garden. I could pretty much pick and choose what I wanted to do with my life. And this thing with the crystals would prove to Seifer, once and for all, that I wasn't a joke when it came to security.

My smile faded, the stroke of my hand against Sally's hair becoming more absent and slight. Sometimes I think Seifer kept pushing that button because he knew it still got to me. It had ever since Timber when he had busted in and I had blurted about Garden. Sure I did my best to just say 'Whatever, Seifer,' while looking like I thought it was funny. But it was like a kick to the balls each time.

It was getting really old.

"I'm just as good at security as everybody else down there," I grumbled. But I knew Seifer wouldn't believe it until I could prove it. That meant something like this.

I let out a quick breath, a sleepy mumble of "smotha bunny" from Sally drawing my attention and a lopsided smile. And when she adjusted herself against me, I knew I had to get out of that bed before I did something I would regret- Well, I probably wouldn't regret it, but come on. I had to cut 'shy girl' some slack.

And me.

"Cold shower, Dincht," I mumbled as I slipped out from under the covers and grabbed up my boxers. Hopping on first one foot and then the other, I made my way to the bathroom, pausing in the doorway when I remembered what had happened last time. _Hm._ After last night and this morning, there was no way I wouldn't pull her in with me. "Swim, Dincht. Yeah. That's it."

So I grabbed my swim trunks from my dresser and then made my way on deck, trying to figure out how I was going to control myself now that the boat had been rocked.

And Sally rocked!

"You can only do what you can do," I told myself, again hopping on one foot and then the other as I slipped into my swim trunks. Only problem was, where Sally was concerned that wasn't enough. It never really had been. Forget explaining it. I couldn't. It's just nothing was ever good enough. A present. A dinner. A kiss, or holding hands. Something I protected her from. Something I did for her…. Nope. It just wasn't ever enough.

I was addicted. That was the only way of looking at it.

And I didn't mind.

***

The swim was awesome, but when I headed below deck and smelled sausage, toast, and eggs, that was better than awesome.

When I stepped into the doorway of the yacht's kitchenette I stopped and smiled, crossing my arms as I leaned against the doorjamb to watch Sally cook breakfast while wearing her usual gray shorts and tank-tee. Her back to me, she couldn't see me watching her, something I never thought I'd do. I mean, just stare at a girl while they did stuff like cook or play cards or read a book? 'Why' I couldn't tell ya. All I knew was that I found myself doing it. A lot.

I pushed from the doorjamb and stepped toward her, resting my hands on her shoulders as I gave the back of her neck a kiss. She smelled like vanilla and… and Sally. "Mornin', sexy." Even though it was closer to noon than anything. _Booya!_

She turned her head enough to intercept my brief kiss and then offered a smile. "Good morning, handsome. I made you breakfast."

"Yeah. It smells great!" Not as good as her, but oh well. I turned her to face me and drew her close, smirking when she wrapped her arms around me and just smiled up at me. _Dincht…_ I know I was asking for pain and trouble, but I couldn't help it. "You smell better, but hey. You know I'm always hungry."

Just not for eggs and toast anymore.

Sally giggled and kissed my cheek. "Silly boy." Then she rested her cheek against my chest and released a long and deep breath. "Zell…"

I waited for more, but it didn't come. She only tightened her arms around me and sighed again. It was weird. I'd heard her sigh like that before… but not really. How could I tell the difference? Well, it gave me prickles all over. The kind I got when something wasn't right. The kind I had got just before Quis, Selph and I had been locked in the room at General Caraway's mansion when we were supposed to be waiting for the Sorceress.

_Uh oh._ I'd never been good at getting people to talk about things that bugged at them. And with Sally? Dude. I'd screw up, major! I rubbed at her back, kicking myself in the head when I hemmed and hawed. _Just ask, Dincht! Geez!_ "That didn't sound so good. You mad that I swam without ya?"

I doubted it, but hey. Why not at least try and figure it out.

"No," she said softly.

"Good, because we can go swimming again. No sweat." _Maybe I'm just imagining things?_ It wouldn't be the first time. "I'm sorry 'bout putting off the visit with your folks, Sally," I tried again. After all, she'd been looking forward to it.

"It's alright," Sally assured, just as quiet as before. "We couldn't put-off searching for the magicite. It's really important. And Dad had an emergency anyway. Remember?"

_Okay, so maybe I am imagining things?_ "Yep. But still. I hate being a slacker and stuff."

She giggled, pushing back to meet my gaze. "You're not a slacker, Zell. You've been wonderful, calling my parents the minute anything goes off tangent. They're very impressed by that." She gave me a brief kiss before once more resting her cheek against my chest. "And so am I," she whispered.

I would've scratched my head, only I couldn't get myself to let go. _Just forget it, Dincht. You're getting paranoid._ So I shoved it aside and gave her a tight squeeze. "Hey. As long as you're impressed, my job's done."

She sniggered. "Silly boy." Then she tightened her arms around me, released another breath, and then pulled back to reach behind and take up the plate of breakfast and offer it to me. "Here you go, sweetie."

"Thanks." I took the plate, staring down at it as she once more faced the stove and started making her own breakfast. For some reason I wasn't hungry anymore. _Hm._ I shook my head and made my way to the little table, trying to ignore the soft sigh I heard from Sally and the prickles it gave me.

***

Yet another meeting with the Foundation had come up, postponing our meeting with Dr. Tahlson until we would arrive at Winhill the next day. We called Mom and Dad, let them know about the change of plans, and then Zell and I set sail at a pretty fast clip. We'd now been sailing along for several hours already, and I was starting to get sleepy.

I didn't usually stay up that late… ahem.

Trying to get my mind off the visual, I asked, "I wonder what Dr. Tahlson will say when he sees all those beautiful artifacts?"

"Are you kidding? He'll likely offer us so much money that our eyes'll pop out of our head."

"You really think so?" The feel of Zell's continual stroke on my arm as he guided the yacht toward the coast and a small port-town called Moor's Head kept drawing my imagination back. That and I loved how it felt to have his arm around me as I stood close against him. He was shirtless – it had been a warm day – and the feeling of cheek against his skin was spectacular. The only problem was that it reminded me of another time we had touched like this… and that made me twitch because… Well, I… I wanted it again.

And that scared me.

Zell's hand moved to the small of my back and began a soft stroke of the area that was the common location of a lot of my back pain. I smiled up at him, the internal twitch and fear disappearing on the wave of an intense emotion I didn't know how to describe. And it… It embarrassed me how powerful it was.

Zell winked. "I figure we'll still get to Winhill some time tomorrow afternoon. I'm getting kinda groggy, so we might need to anchor for the night. Is that okay?"

I nodded, still standing close while being completely and utterly drunk with being married to Zell. I was so drunk, in fact, that once this intense emotion came, the fear and uncertainty couldn't rise higher than a distant 'lurk'.

Zell chuckled and looked away. "You better stop looking up at me like that, kitten, or I'll park early and give you The Works." He sent me a sidelong glance.

The intensity flared, widening my silly smile as I giggled "Okay," while a part of me stared in horror.

Zell laughed and gave me a jostle. "Okay. Let me find a place to park and I'll do something about that tightness I feel in your back. It hasn't been there for a while, and I don't want it coming back."

Silly giggle complete with a wrinkled nose and crinkled eyes preceded my tight hug of his shirtless middle. "Oh goodie!"

Sally Regal didn't live here anymore.

He laughed again as he pulled back on the throttle and brought the yacht to a 'stop'. Then he dropped anchor and took me by the hand to lead me below. "Come on, kitten. Let's see if you purr."

What else could I do? I giggled.

***

breath - silence - breath - silence - breath

As the ship gently rocked us back and forth and the waves lapped against the hull of the yacht whispering promises of a different future, I could only focus on the steady and soothing rhythm of Zell's breathing and how his warmth made me… feel. It was so different from before.

More.

I released a deep breath and turned my head to look over at him. He lie on his side, the top-sheet pulled up to his armpits as he held his pillow a little against him. His blonde hair sticking up in places. A pillow crease on his cheek… breath - silence - breath - silence - breath– quick breath, whispered "…Sally…" slow breath out…

My eyes misted and my throat tightened as I sat carefully up, holding the sheet against me as I stared down at him, softly touching his hair from his face. Janine had warned that the first time being intimate wouldn't be all that wonderful, especially since neither of us had all that much experience - if any. _"And it'll hurt like hell, Sal gal. So don't think you're doing something wrong. It just does."_ Mom had said the same thing. But…

I softly smiled as I caressed his cheek, sighing when he mumbled "…let's smotha lova…" and then drifted back to the deep breathing of before. I covered my face with my hands, remembering how I'd responded to his touch. Remembering how it had felt to be that… trusting and… close. It had been the most glorious experience of my life… The rightness of being with him and then drifting to sleep against him after, accompanied by the whisper of "I love you, Sally," as he kissed my neck… I sighed, ignoring a… leaden weight that was starting to grow.

I didn't want it.

I loved him so much, and I enjoyed being this connected to him. This trusting. Now I… I craved it. I… I couldn't get enough. I wanted more of this kind of sharing of everything of myself… and yet… that continued to feed the leaden weight… A weight that neither Janine nor Mom had warned me about.

Slowly lowering my hands, I once more took to my favorite hobby: Watching him when he didn't know it. I had been doing that for years. I couldn't stop. It let me see things that he never showed anyone else. Sides of him that he kept so close… Vulnerabilities. Softness. Parts of him that I loved knowing about.

And now I had this.

I swallowed hard and then snuggled up against him, whispering, "Go back to sleep, sweetie," when he sleepily asked, "Hm?" Then Zell drew me closer, arms holding me tight against him as he let out a deep breath and mumbled "Okay."

So I held him, closing my eyes and just listening to his breathing as I stroked his hair and tried to keep from thinking anything but that I was married.

Reminding myself that I was married.

I was married.

I was.


	7. A Dream of Winhill

**Seven ‹ A Dream of Winhill ›**

As I watched Sally sleep against me the next morning, I got that same itch that something wasn't right. But I still didn't know what. Sure there were the occasional lip bites and twitches, but it could be anything. If it were something I did, she'd have told me. If it were something she wanted that she didn't know how to ask, she'd at least tell me she was trying to figure out how to ask. She'd done that when first trying to figure out how to talk to me about the intimacy thing.

She didn't want me to freak if she flinched when I touched her.

I scrubbed at my scalp. _Dincht, quit being a chicken-wuss and just ask her what's wrong!_

Sally sighed deep, her breath tickling my chest, and then moaned as she stretched. "I should get up and make you breakfast," she mumbled sleepily.

I smirked. "Nah. We can lay around for as long as we want." And it felt awesome. Skin against skin was a trip!

She sighed again and snuggled close, me draping an arm around her. "But we have to meet the doctor in Winhill," she reminded softly.

"Yeah. I know." I just didn't want to move. You know what I mean?

Sally suddenly sniggered. "I don't want to get up, either. You're warm."

Booya! I gave her a jostle, warning myself to take a _Chill!_ before risking another word. "Are you cold a lot or something, Meg?"

Nodding so that her hair tickled my chest, she admitted, "Yeah. The doctors say I have poor circulation or something. Probably because of my accident. Zack just says my 'thermostat' doesn't work right. It's broken." She voiced a soft giggle again. "But that's okay. You're warm."

I laughed. _She seems warm enough to me!_ But there was no way I was going to say that. Instead, I gave her a gentle squeeze while telling myself that I had to be imagining things. She sounded fine. "Maybe The Works will help with that. Studies show it's supposed to help with circulation to muscle groups."

"Oooooo." Then she pushed herself upright, holding her portion of the sheet up. "Really?"

Smirking, I laced my fingers behind my head as I held her twinkling chocolate-brown eyes. "That's what they say. Read some case studies and stuff, but…" I shrugged, my smile tilting to one side. "We could do our own case study," I offered.

She nodded, looking so eager that I couldn't help but laugh. _Dude! She's fun!!_ I reached out and gave her chin a gentle chuck, which made her smile one of those little things that made me glow. _Dincht…. Yeah, yeah, yeah._ I fisted my hand behind my head, still smiling, and gave her chin a pinch. "Who gets dibs on the shower?"

"We could share."

My smile froze on my face and I think I swallowed my tongue as I stared at her. _Sh-sh-sh-share?!_ Zellander kicked me in the head – _Ass-wipe! Knock it off!_ – and made me say, "Thanks, Meg, but I'd just get in the way. It's not a very big shower." _Aw come on!_ "You can go first. Then I can find out from the doc where he's at and where he'll meet us."

She looked toward the shower, giving me a second to fiercely scrub a hand down my face before forcing back the easy smile when she again looked to me. "I just thought…" Sally lowered her gaze for a fraction of a second before smiling a smile that didn't seem right and then nodding. "Okay."

_Aw geez!_ I sent Zellander my favorite rude gesture while giving Sally's arm a stroke. Then, sitting up and reaching for my navy blue silk boxers, I said, "Maybe tomorrow." I sent her a glance. "No time-tables."

She flushed and nodded yet again, the smile blossoming to a silly giggle.

_Whew._ So I sent her a wink, slipped into my boxers before standing, and then snatched up the matching robe. Sally had gotten the set for me, but I had a feeling I wasn't going to have much time to wear them. Heheheheheheh…. _Dincht!_ I turned to face Sally, who had slipped forward to kneel on the edge of the bed while watching me, and stepped close to give her a kiss on the forehead.

The only safe place to do anything when she looked like that.

"I'll make you breakfast again. 'Kay?"

She smiled up at me in silence for so long that I thought I was going to lose it right there. Then, one arm keeping the sheet up, she cupped my cheek to give it a collection of strokes. "Good morning, Mr. Dincht."

_Duuuuuude…._ I held her face in both hands, Zellander only letting me caress her cheeks. "Good morning, Mrs. Dincht." _Sweet Hyne's ass that's awesome to say– Screw you, Zellander!_ I kissed her, proving to myself and the little prick that I could control myself.

When I pulled slowly back, the look on her face was the hardest test yet. But I didn't do what I wanted. I just waited until she slowly opened her eyes. _She needs a little space._ And if she didn't, oh well. A little space never hurt anyone.

I sent her a lop-sided smile. "We'll 'lova smotha' a little later."

Giggling as her cheeks flushed my ultimate favorite color, she nodded and wrinkled her nose at me, repeating "Lova smotha," in a funny voice that gave me the good chills.

So I kissed her on the forehead and then walked somewhat stiffly around the bed toward the door, sending Sally a last glance over my shoulder to see her lying on her tummy watching me with a silly smile on her face. She waved her fingers, sounding the silly giggle that I was really beginning to go wild for.

I winked, letting Zellander drag me out of the room and close the door firmly behind me. I pressed my forehead against it and released a slow and deep breath. _Dincht…. the hell?!?!_

Booya didn't cover it anymore.

***

After a short drive from the small 'tourist trap' town on the western shore of southern Galbadia called Moor's Head - which happened to have a dock where we moored the yacht - we were at Winhill.

I released a sigh as we walked hand in hand around the small town, only having a little bit of trouble keeping the visuals of the previous night at bay. "How soon before the Security Station is up?" Even if I had to work as support-staff, I so wanted to move here. It would mean a place I could make into a home for Zell and me. Just the two of us. A family of our own… It sounded better than anything I had ever imagined before.

"Squall said something like 18 months. But it could be less."

"Where are they in the process?"

"I think they're getting supplies rounded up or something. They've got all the contractors and stuff, and the Network has already purchased the computers and furniture and stuff like that. All we have to do is get the building complex up and then they'll deliver and set it all up. Security Goon Seifer breathing down their necks, of course."

I looked over at him, his gorgeous blue eyes meeting my gaze. "Have you seen the plans?"

"Have I seen what's going to be built, you mean?"

I nodded.

"Yeah. There's going to be the main building, staff dorms for those who can't get on-site housing, and… uh…" He snapped his fingers several times as his adorable face twisted into a frown. "Geez. What was that other thing… Oh! Right!" He grinned down at me. "A house for the head of the facility: Me."

My mouth dropped open; then I squealed and threw myself into his arms, mine looping around his neck as I kissed his face and hopped up and down with excited squeals of "Zell! Oh Zell! Congratulations, sweetie! You got Winhill!"

He laughed, saying "Okay, okay, beach bunny. Take it easy on me," and laughing some more.

I pulled back. "When did you find out?"

"Squall told me at the bachelor party." He grinned. "I've been choking on this secret for, what?, 2 weeks?"

I giggled. "Oh, sweetie, I'm so excited for you! You've wanted to have this station for Winhill for so long and now you've got it… Oh, sweetie…" And I kissed his cheek several times before pulling him into another embrace, sighing when his arms surrounded me.

"And I got you your house," he said softly. Then he chuckled. "It'll just take almost 2 years before we can move in."

"I don't care," I sighed. "I've got you and our apartment at Garden and the most wonderful future in the world."

"I don't know about that," he admitted, "but it sure will be worth whatever crap we've got to go through, huh?"

"Darn straight."

Zell gave my neck a kiss, sending a spark all around. Then he again took my hand in his and led me deeper into town. "It's about time for lunch. Did you want to grab a sandwich or something before heading out?"

"Whatever you want to do, sweetie."

"Well, why don't we go on a treasure-hunt first. Then we can have everything ready for doc when he shows up in a couple hours." He grinned and gave my hand a squeeze. "Then you're mine and no more sharing."

I giggled, flushed, and gave him a nudge in the ribs with my elbow before whispering, "…no more sharing." Nope. Just love and fun. No more fear. No more guilt, either. After all, why should I feel guilty for enjoying this time with my husband. And I was going to do my best to ignore them. _But if you can't? When are you going to tell him?_ But how did I tell the man of my dreams that all I could think about was… sex?

I worried my lower lip, my hand tightening on his. _Sally, you don't really think it'll change how he looks at you, do you? Come on! That's silly! You're married!_ But no matter how often I told myself that, there were so many other thoughts that came up to fight against such a simple fact.

I sent him a stealthy glance, watching him as he pointed and talked about Winhill and the different stories he'd heard. He was so handsome and so… mine. And the intensity of that thought scared me. I'd never felt this intensely about anything. But since being with Zell in such an intimate way, all I could feel and remember was that touch. That sharing. The hushed and gruff whisper–

Flushing, I looked away, swallowing hard as I told myself _It's okay to like it. Remember? Janine and Mom said so._ But… this much? So that was all I thought of? So that was all I remembered minute after minute? I bit my lower lip. _You're married. It's what happens,_ I kept telling myself. And the 'but' still lingered. If I told him…

"_Hon, once you share that one part of yourself with Zell, everything will change. Your feelings for him. His feelings for you. Your perspective on everything will be different. It will be like… like being connected to him."_ That's what my mom had said, yes, but all I could think about was… sex. All I could feel was skin moving against skin. All I could hear was my voice mingling with his as we– I whimpered before I could stop it, biting hard on my lower lip when I felt Zell's sidelong glance.

"You okay?"

I wordlessly nodded, returning his pressure to my hand and sending him the most fake smile I had ever done in my life.

Zell watched me for a moment more before giving my hand another squeeze and asking, "It says it's where?"

Lifting the handheld, I calibrated it and pointed ahead at a grove of trees outside of Winhill. The trees were in the blossom field we'd walked through last time being there. "Right over there. In that section of trees." _Stop it! You're married! You're married!_… But each time I let myself relax into the 'want', the odd feeling came again.

…and I didn't want it. I only didn't know how to give it up.

I didn't even really know what 'it' was.

"Okay. Well, I guess we're going there. Come on."

Zell took hold of my waist to heave me up onto the top rail of the fence. Then I climbed the rest of the way over, waiting for him to do the same. Standing beside me, we gathered the other's hand and made our way forward.

"Why would someone put a treasure chest in a forest– Of course, if it's as old as the other one, there wasn't a forest here back then. It might've been water like with the others. Who knows? It's kinda exciting to think about it. What coulda happened and all that. Like a write your own adventure story or something." Zell focused on me as I smiled up at him. "What d'ya think?"

_I think you're adorable. I think I couldn't be any more happy. I think Winhill is going to be more a home than anywhere else, and I can hardly wait the 18 months…_ "I think it's very cool."

Zell smirked, releasing my hand to drape his arm around my shoulders. "Yeah. Everything's going to be cool, we just have to wait."

"Do you mind waiting?"

"Hell no! We've got a great apartment waiting for us, and I've got a great job as Head of Instruction… Though I'm not too thrilled with the stress. It's a pain in the ass, but kinda fun, too. Weird that way." He gave me a squeeze and kissed my temple. "And now I've got you. Waiting'll be a blast, I bet."

My smile teetered between silliness and euphoria as I looked up at him. _Just 'go for it'._ I had been so far. _Just keep ignoring it. Maybe it'll go away?_ It could happen, couldn't it?

He touched my nose and then guided the handheld so that he could get a better look. "Okay… About 10 more meters, I figure. Any idea how deep?"

I lowered my focus to the handheld as Zell adjusted the collapsed shovels that hung on the back of his belt. "No. I'd have to change the monitoring program link with the satellite, and I didn't want to do that until we knew for certain we'd found the location."

"Okay. You're the boss."

We found the exact location and depth of the chest and then set to work. The satellite showed it as about 10 feet below the surface.

Very sweaty and dirty later, Zell threaded a rope through the side handle of the chest and then climbed up the same before helping me heave it out of the hole. Its dimensions were bigger than the other ones we'd found, making both Zell and me exchange hopeful glances before breaking the lock and hesitantly pushing the lid open.

"Oh my," I breathed.

"No doubt." Zell reached in and pulled out a handful of coins, rings, necklaces, and loose pearls. He looked up at me. "Do you have any idea how much this is worth?"

"Too much to even count," I said, voice hushed.

Zell absently nodded and then focused again on the chest. "Well… I guess we better get this back to _Moon Spinner_."

It took us about 45 minutes to get to Winhill. Then we loaded the chest into the rental car and headed out to Moor's Head. After struggling the heavy chest on board _Moon Spinner_, we left it on deck and went below to the galley to get the one we'd found the day before. When Zell checked his watch, he told me that Dr. Tahlson was due to come in about 40 minutes, which didn't give us much time to do much but strip down to our swimsuits and use the ocean to clean off the grime and sweat from our adventure.

Waiting for Dr. Tahlson to arrive, we laid close to one another on deck, bathing in the sun while enjoying the early afternoon brightness… together. I didn't think that word could be any more beautiful and satisfying then it had become these few days with Zell. The word's meaning had completely and totally changed from what I had known before. And I liked the change. _Just focus on that then. Maybe you just need to get used to the… to the other thing?_ I had needed to 'get used to' being his girlfriend, so maybe…?

Zell adjusted his cheek against my upper chest, stroking my stomach with his thumb while his other hand carefully massaged the small of my back. I sighed and smoothed his hair with my hand, smiling up at the pale blue of the sky while enjoying the press of each breath he took. Throughout our relationship we'd been in positions like this before, prior to the near meltdown our first visit to Winhill, but this time felt so much… more.

I wish I could paint a better verbal picture, but I just don't know how to describe it.

Sighing again, I moved my hand from his hair to a soft raking motion of the skin of his back. "You comfortable enough?" I asked softly.

He nodded against me, his content release of breath giving me goose-pimples and a wider smile. Who would have known I would be like this with Zell Dincht? Who would have known he would be like this? At all? When I had first met him in person in the classroom at Balamb Garden, he had seemed all about becoming a SeeD. Training, studying, and doing what he could to try and pass the Field Exam.

When he had finally graduated at the age of 17, life had changed for him. Changed in a way few SeeDs experienced. Forced to mature in a matter of weeks, Zell had worked to save the world. My smile softened. _I'm glad you had your friends with you, Zell._ They had kept him safe for me. Making it possible for him to return so that I could keep stepping toward the future that I hadn't realized would be possible.

Actually, I hadn't realized that I had wanted it badly enough to fight my fear. But here I was: Married to Zell.

My smile faded a little as I focused again at the sky, my other hand teasing his hair with absent movements. _Will I ever be completely done fighting off fear?_ It always seemed that the moment I had moved past one, another was waiting. The intimacy issue a prime example.

I sighed. There was no way to know. After all, I hadn't known I would have such a challenge with accepting the intimacy that came with marriage. I knew about the possibility of flinching away when he touched me, and being really embarrassed when seeing each other in the nude for the first time. But the problem with accepting how much I enjoyed being with Zell? No. I hadn't expected that.

But if I truly wanted a family, I had to face it. "Zell?"

"Hmm?"

"Did you want kids?"

Zell bolted upright and looked at me with wide eyes. "'scuse me?"

The ridiculous expression of shock on his face brought a giggle. "What?"

"Kids?" he repeated.

Nodding, I said, "Uh-huh. Do you want kids? Not right now, of course. You've got your position and I've got mine and then there's Winhill and that, but… Do you? Sometime after our careers have settled down a little?"

"Sure. I don't know how I'll do with babies and diapers and crap like that, but I get a kick outta playin' with the junior classmen." He grinned. "How come?"

"Well, I…" I reached up to tease the bottom of his tank-tee. "I'm just trying to figure what might be next." I sent him a quick peek. "And since we're married now… and we're going to Winhill soon, well, I thought that it might be nice to think about children," another peek, "and so I thought I should ask you how you liked them," another peek, and this time I noticed his expression had softened, giving me an internal swell and a flush of hot. "… what?" I asked with a self-conscious smile.

Then Zell went down to an elbow and caressed my lips with a finger. "I'm still trying to figure how to handle being married to the sexiest and smartest lady in the Network."

I shyly giggled an "Oh Zell," and gave his shoulder a gentle push.

He chuckled, gave me several soft and short kisses, and then resumed his previous position, this time wrapping his arms around me to hold me tight. "Winhill will be awesome for kids. There's a little school there, I think. One room, just like way-back-when. I guess there's only, like, six or seven kids altogether."

"It sounds wonderful," I admitted softly, returning to a stroke and play of his hair.

"No doubt. And with all the farms and ranches and stuff? And then finally a Security Section? It'll be great. Won't have to worry 'bout nothing. Practically."

"And kids should always have a safe place to live," I said, voice hushed in the euphoria of the possibility of a family with Zell.

He nodded against me, his arms tightening slightly. "So, yeah. If we stay in Winhill like I want… Yeah. We'll have kids. Boys. Girls. I don't care."

My expression softened, and I released a silent breath as I closed my eyes and envisioned blonde and brunette alike, playing in the front yard. Swinging on a swing-set in the back. Making mud pies. Going over to friends' houses… "As long as you're their father…"

Zell's chest rose and lowered in a deep breath as his lips tickled the skin of my upper chest with a soft kiss. "Man I love you, Sally."

My insides melted at that, ushering my complete self to an absolute adoration of this man: My husband. I lifted my head to press my lips against his hair and then looked again to the sky, softly stroking his back as he held me close against him, loving the feel of our hearts beating together. Adoring the feeling of his chest pressing against me as he took a breath, and mine against him with the same. Enjoying the tickle of his hair on my skin… It made the timid and shy woman I had been become an intense and passionate individual. I just had to 'get used to' her.

And to do that, I had to… I had to just let go.

"I love you, too, Zellander Hosia Dincht," I whispered. Completely.

Zell lifted his head, blue eyes twinkling as he smirked at me. "I told you no name-calling, Priscilla."

I smiled. "But I love your name. It sounds like… Like a historical General of legends."

He blinked. "No kidding?"

Shyly giggling, I shook my head. "No kidding."

"Sweet!" He grinned. "Okay. You can call me 'Zellander' whenever you want."

I laughed, tousling his hair with both hands as I said "Oh you silly."

Zell's grin widened. Then he kissed the skin of my collarbone and moved to a crouch, pulling me up to sit while holding my hands in his. "Doc's going to be here any second. You should short-up."

I nodded and accepted my white linen shorts from him. "Thank you. I would have forgotten."

"You wanna wear my tank? Or are you okay with just your swimsuit?"

I slipped into my shorts. "Well… I don't know." I looked over at him. "It's modest enough, isn't it? I mean, it isn't inappropriate?"

One side of Zell's lips twitched. "It's fine, bunny. It's up to you. If you'd rather wear something over it, it doesn't matter to me."

"Well…" I looked down at the swimsuit. It was the lavender one my mom had made before, so it was alright, but it didn't offer much in the way of… I shyly smiled as I lifted my gaze. Zell already held out his tank-tee. I giggled and accepted it. "Thank you."

"Sure."

I took a deep sniff of his shirt, flushed when I heard him chuckle, and then slipped it on over my head. Then I accepted his help to stand and followed him to the sides of the yacht. Sure enough, Dr. Tahlson's houseboat approached from the starboard side.

"What d'you think about the doc?"

I smiled and gave a wave in response to the doctor's. "I like him. He's smart but has a funny side." Looking to Zell, I noticed his lopsided smile as he watched me. "What?"

"I think you like everyone."

"So what if I do?"

Zell gathered me close and nibbled my neck, ignoring my protests and squeals of "Zell! The Doctor!"

After giving my neck one last kiss, he set me purposefully back and touched my nose. "We'll pick this up later."

I don't think I had ever giggled as silly as I did then.

***

Unfortunately, none of the items in the chests were anything more than very valuable trinkets. So, no runes or magical/physical protection to be offered. There was a magicite shard in the chest, however, and the signets and designs on the jewelry had Dr. Tahlson in a very happy mood. When asked, Dr. Tahlson didn't want to comment until he could be certain one way or the other.

"Suffice it to say that these are from a very… important dynasty."

Then he asked if he could take them to his houseboat so that he could do a more thorough examination and search via his uplink with the Foundation's database. Zell and I of course gave him permission, as we had been playing footsies the entire time he had spoken with us in the galley.

I'm afraid I didn't do a very good job of paying attention.

Zell invited him back later that evening for dinner, which Dr. Tahlson said he might forget in the midst of his research, and then Zell reluctantly withdrew his hand from my leg to help load the chest with the treasure onto his houseboat. I sent him an understanding smile and blew a kiss, which caused a grin and a wink just before he ducked out of the galley and made his way upstairs after the doctor.

I think I had always craved acceptance and tenderness while growing up, but I had always been too shy to look for it. Zell gave me all that on so many different levels, pressing past the shyness while taking things as they went, and me along with it. Accepting me. Doing his best to give me what I needed. Helping me change into the person I wanted to be while loving me for who I was. How a guy could understand me that much blew me away.

Making me want him more, and blowing the… guilt? to new levels.

I mean, what had happened to the modest and under-control person I had been? What had happened to the person who had rated her self by her intelligence and her personality and not how good she was in bed? I didn't know. All I knew was… I hadn't expected this.

I heard Zell's laugh, and then his call of "See ya later, doc!" Then I heard his recognizable step down the stairs as he whistled his favorite tune. Yep. 'Eyes on Me.' Jazzy.

When he came into the galley, he 'plopped' down beside me, hands still in the pockets of his denim shorts, and sent me a boyish smile. "Now what?"

Sally Dincht came up with several ideas before Sally Regal once more made her presence known. I looked away, not sure how to fight one over the other. So, I just shrugged while sending Zell a sidelong glance. _You need to tell him._ But how did I do that without dying of embarrassment?

Zell pulled his hands from his pockets before facing me. "Sally? Is something bugging you?"

_Come on. Now's your chance. Tell him._ "Um… Well…" But how did I say 'Zell, all I can think about is how to get you to touch me like you did before. But I'm afraid that makes me look like a freak.' Yeah right!

"Did I do something?"

That made me sharply look up. "No, Zell," I said quickly. "Why would you think you'd done something?"

"I don't know. It's just…" He rested a hand on my thigh, causing a swell within. "Are you sure you're okay? You can talk to me about it. Whatever 'it' is. Swear."

_How can I talk to him about it when he'll blame himself?_ I forced a smile and brushed some hair from his cheek. "You're just too cute for words. That's all." Then I pulled him into a hug. It wasn't his fault. I just had to get used to being married. "That's all."

I was married.

I was.

Zell's arms tightened around me before he pushed back and intensely watched my expression. "Are you sure, Sally? I'm not playing. Really. You can tell me anything."

"I'm alright," I told him again, keeping the smile in place by thinking of all the happy times we had shared over our relationship. Visualizing them. Holding them as close as I could to keep the fear from showing in my eyes… The more I thought of them, the less power the fear had and the more genuine my smile felt. I even found myself sighing and saying, "You are so handsome."

Zell's ears and face went red as he sent me his usual boyish smile. "I am?"

I softly giggled as I nodded, trying to look serious as I put my fists on my hips. "Don't sound like you don't know it, Mr. Dincht. You use it to the best of your ability, and you know you do!"

He had me wrapped around his little finger.

"Tch! Whatever. You're the one that's got Seifer wrapped."

My mouth dropped open a fraction of a second before I complained, "I do not," and gave him a firm shove.

You guessed it. Zell shoved back, and next thing I knew we were tussling and wrestling on the couch with squeals and giggles and chuckles while protesting when the other found a weak spot and used it to its full potential. It was so much fun, even though I was laughing so hard I was crying. And, to my surprise, the firm contact and the exertion didn't invite the strong desire.

I was too busy defending my ticklish spot on my side.

But soon after that the wrestling slowed and ceased, the contact softening into more of an exchange of kisses, strokes, and caresses. The simpleness of it made me warm all over, still inviting a desire for a deeper connection, but for some reason the fear and guilt for enjoying it so much didn't rise as powerfully as before. We just laid along the couch, fully clothed, and enjoyed 'making out'.

We hadn't been able to really relax and do something like this since Winhill. And to not have the sirens and flags and restraints hitting us over the head was… amazing. The freedom was… It was wonderful.

Not even 'Sally Regal' could complain.

Zell pulled very slowly back from a particularly enjoyable kiss to whisper, "…booya…"

I couldn't even giggle I was so overwhelmed with everything. I only released a deep breath and nodded. There was no way I could speak. Not and make sense.

He kissed me again, this time along the cheek, and then nibbled at my ear as his hands worked at the small of my back. "…relax…" he directed in a hushed voice.

I hadn't even realized I was tense, but then I felt the release and couldn't help but moan with relief. Those tension knots could hurt. I was only so used to them, and had such a high tolerance for pain, that I didn't realize they were there until they were huge.

Zell pressed his lips against my temple and then adjusted his arms around me the same time he adjusted his position so that he lie on his back and I was nestled somewhat against his side. He continued to tenderly stroke my back along my spine, occasionally pausing at the base.

When I opened my eyes, he was smiling at me, his other hand behind his head. "Hi."

I relaxed into my smile, feeling another release just before the whole body shiver.

"Whoa. That was a biggie." Zell chuckled, adjusting his hand behind his head. "I haven't had a release like that in a while."

Letting out a content breath, I rested my cheek against his chest (my favorite position). "It feels wonderful," I groggily admitted.

Zell's hands continued to gently work along my spine. "I wonder if it's the bed. I forgot to check it." He kissed my head. "I guess I don't make a good pillow after all."

Sighing again, I mumbled, "You make the best pillow. My back just wants to try and ruin my honeymoon. I'm not pampering it anymore, and now it's pouting." I had noticed a growing pain since… I flushed and bit my lip. _Oh no!_

"Sally, you just tightened up back here. What's up, girl?"

But there was no way I could tell him that being intimate might have been causing back problems. He would've felt guilty! And I wanted him to enjoy it as much as I did– I nearly slapped a hand over my mouth. Instead, I squeezed my eyes shut tight.

"There it is again." Zell once more adjusted his position, this time sitting up and helping me do the same. "Sally? What's going on?"

I flushed furiously as I sent him a smile and slightly shook my head. "Nothing." _Stop lying!_ "I was just trying to figure out the best way of fully testing a new bed before buying it without shocking the sales clerk." _Sally! Just tell him!_

Zell howled, causing a wider smile as I watched his boyishly handsome face with his kind of wild hair from where I'd toyed with it with my fingers… I shoved the guilt in a box and drew him closer with my arms around his neck. "Come here, sweetie. We weren't done."

"…yes, ma'am," his mouth whispered against mine, his arms surrounding me while his hands continued to massage my lower back. The simple action held such thought and care to my comfort that, if wanting him hadn't been blissfully major before, it certainly was now.


	8. Mega Confessions

_**Eight › Mega-Confessions ‹**_

"So what's with the emblems?" Zell asked between bites of lasagna. He gave my hand a grip and sent me a wink, which I received with a smile and a soft shade of rose. "You said something about an important dynasty or something."

"Indeed." Dr. Tahlson set aside his fork and opened up his computer. Entering a combination of commands, he brought up a rendered image of a ring. "This is the signet ring of a very heroic king who lived some two millennia ago. Legend says that he, along with some 13 of his compatriots, were responsible for saving our world from a madman who attempted to use the Espers' magic for evil."

"Booya!" Zell exclaimed, lasagna bite forgotten mid-way to his mouth.

I sent him a sidelong _'You're so cute!'_ look before focusing again on the doctor.

Dr. Tahlson continued. "In the ancient texts there's even mention of statues and a door to a secondary dimension, but we haven't been able to ascertain location. All we know is the delicate balance was upset by this madman, thereby putting the world at risk."

"Until this king and his friends stopped him?" I offered quietly.

"Exactly."

Dr. Tahlson typed a few more commands into the computer and brought up an image of a handsome young king with an air of assurance and mischief in his eyes and face. He had long blonde hair, blue eyes, and stood at least six feet tall.

"This is King Edgar Roni Figaro of the Figaro Kingdom. The heroic king I mentioned." He focused again on us as we examined the portrait. "He reigned until his death at the age of 98 years. His wife, Queen Terra Branford Figaro…" He commanded up another image of a lovely lady with light green hair and an innocent expression of purity and yet of quiet pain. "Surpassed him in age, dying at 112 years. Romantic poets of the era after his death say that she was never the same."

I sighed, "Oh how she must have missed him," as I felt my lips twitch downward. Zell gave my leg a squeeze.

Dr. Tahlson's lips twitched upward. "Yes, well, I suppose so. They were married at a young age, and between her adopted children and her natural ones, she reportedly had 18."

"Oh my!"

"Booya!"

I giggled and gave him a push. "Zell!" I hissed.

Dr. Tahlson chuckled. Then he typed in a few more commands and brought up another lady's image, this woman colored a light violet with wild hair and sad eyes. To me, it seemed as if she held an unfathomable power and didn't know how to use it.

"Who's that?" I asked, voice hushed.

"That is Queen Terra Branford Figaro. In Esper form."

"Wha-!? She was an esper?"

"Half Esper, half human. She was the key factor to the madman's defeat, as she had a way to communicate with the Espers that allowed her friends to gather their life-force and utilize that power in the fight against evil. After the madman's defeat - we can't seem to find his name in the writings - Magic was said to disappear from the planet, though we haven't been able to ascertain the reason for it. Or how it was returned."

I thoughtfully bit my lip. "The fact it's back… Is that why you believe it's due to the Guardian Forces?"

Dr. Tahlson nodded. "Yes." He closed the program and then turned off the computer. "Now that you've found these magicite shards and these artifacts holding the Figaro crest, we've been able to determine most of the ancient writings as true." He looked down to the lasagna and absently retrieved his fork. "I never thought we would ever discover as much as we have these past days."

Zell finished his last bite of lasagna and then gathered his plate into the kitchen to the sink. "Get used to it, doc. When Sally's around, things have a tendency of getting solved quick, fast, and in a hurry."

I flushed and lowered my gaze to my plate.

Dr. Tahlson chuckled. "Yes. I found that to be true when working with your charming wife for the software program. It's been a pleasure to work with you, Mrs. Dincht."

While it sounded wonderful, I still softly corrected him. "Please. Call me, Sally."

"Certainly, but you must call me Harry."

"Harry?" I repeated. "But… But I thought your name was Zachari."

"It is, but everyone calls me Harry." He smiled and pushed his plate away. "Well, I had best be going. I would like to put a few more hours in at the computer before calling it a night. I'll be sure to contact you tomorrow afternoon so that you can retrieve your chest and resume your travels."

Zell had reappeared from the sink to rest a hand on my shoulder. "Keep a few of the things, doc. We don't need 'em all. That way you don't have to rush and it'll be easier for everyone all the way around."

Harry nodded and stood, producing a hand and giving Zell's a firm grip. "Thank you, Zell. I appreciate it." Then he offered me a hand to give mine a gentle pressure. "Thank you for dinner, Sally. It was wonderful."

I stood, releasing his hand after another pressure, and then followed him and Zell out and to the side where he boarded his houseboat. "Good night, Harry. We'll see you in the morning?"

Harry's eyes twinkled with his smile. "Perhaps. Perhaps not. I might pull a late night and forget to wake in the morning. Feel free to move on. I'll meet you at a later time to return these things to you."

Zell draped his arm around my shoulders. "Sure thing, doc. We've planned to hang out here in Winhill for a couple days, so just keep it around and we'll bump into you off and on. Maybe dinner again tomorrow? There's a great restaurant in Winhill."

Harry nodded and then touched his forehead with a finger. "Tomorrow then. Good night." And he entered the cabin of his houseboat.

Giving my shoulders a squeeze, Zell kissed my temple. "Cool guy, for a geek."

I yawned and nodded, then turned in his arms and gave him a hug.

Zell chuckled, his hands soothing a slight twitch in my back. "Come on, kitten. Let's get your hair combed and your teeth brushed and then put you down for a nap."

I released a content sigh. "Okay."

When I didn't move, he chuckled again, still rubbing at the small of my back and then up and down my spine with his fingers. "We gotta move below-deck first, kitten."

"But I'm comfy here." And the bedroom just made me remember too many things. Feelings and desires that I didn't know how to feel or to accept. I mean, I knew they were okay, but I… I didn't know how to tell 'Sally Regal'. She had worked so hard to keep me a virgin that now, those protections and rules were really hard to push past.

My relationship with Zell was breaking so many, and I enjoyed breaking them.

Which had to be why I felt… guilty.

"Sally."

"Hm?"

"Why do you keep knotting up back here?" Zell gently gripped each arm and pushed me back, trying to meet my gaze.

But I only stared at the wedding ring on my finger. _Sally, you need to tell him something._ It didn't matter if it would embarrass me to death. He was my friend, my teacher, and my husband. He deserved to know.

"Come on, Sally. I can read your stress like a book, and something's got you worked. Why won't you tell me what it is?"

"Because I don't know how," I whispered, proud of myself for saying that much.

Zell's hold on my arms momentarily tightened before he gently tilted my chin up to meet his gaze. He looked concerned. More concerned than I had ever seen him. "You'd tell me if I was out of line any time this week, right? I mean… Sally, the last thing I want is to freak you out. Seriously. If you need space, you just tell me."

"Zell…." I sniffed and cupped his cheek. I had no idea what to say. It should have been so easy to tell him my problem, he did deserve to know, but… I stepped forward and held him close, squeezing my eyes shut tight as his arms went around me. _Sally, you're not being fair! The longer you stay silent, the more and more he'll convince himself that he's done something._ "Zell…" But I…. I just couldn't.

"Come on, Sally," he pleaded, once more pushing me back and holding my gaze. "Please just talk to me? I can take it. Swear."

I lowered my gaze, worrying my lower lip as I twirled my wedding band.

"Sally, please."

I twitched. I had never heard him sound so desperate, and that made me start to silently cry. If I had only known that this would be a problem… "Zell, I… I…" I looked up, hiccuping on the tears as I met his concerned expression that bordered on helplessness. "It's not you," I told him, voice choked. "It's me. That's all."

"I don't care if it's not me. It's you and me here, so if one of us has a problem we both have a problem." Zell stepped a little closer, stroking my arms with his thumbs. "Come on, Sally. You don't have to stress about nothing by yourself. You never did. Not since we hooked up. You just gotta talk to me."

And it sounded so simple. Why couldn't I do the simple things? "I… I…" I bit my lower lip, unable to look away from Zell's blue eyes that seemed to hold encouragement and helplessness.

"You… You what?" he prompted. "Is it the satellite thing? The bikini? You feel bad about something I don't know about? What?"

_Bikini._ I blinked. I had forgotten about the bikini. Flushing, I lowered my gaze and brushed the tears from my cheeks. "I forgot about that."

"'Bout what?"

"The bikini. I was supposed to wear it."

"Ohhhh. Thaaaat." Zell released a quick breath. "Is that all? Geez. You really freaked me out."

I looked up, mouth open to say 'No, that wasn't it. I just forgot.' But Zell pressed a finger against my lips, smiling that gorgeous boyish smile that made me go weak in the knees.

"Sally, that was just to help," he reminded. Then he drew me close, lightly kissing my forehead. "But you didn't need any help." And then each eye. "You got there by yourself." And then kissed my mouth so softly that I thought I only imagined it, inviting the intensity of emotion that I craved.

Making me forget everything but Zell and how he made me feel safe.

How he made me feel… more.

And for that fraction of an instant I wasn't afraid, I grabbed it with both hands and went along, pressing myself closer to the man I loved more than anything else and then letting him lead me to that safe place beyond the guilt and fear.

Where I just loved him.

***

I shifted positions, reaching an arm out-- and not feeling Sally beside me. I pushed up and looked out the window to gauge the time. The moon's position made it about two. _Hm._ Looking to the bathroom, the door wasn't closed and the light wasn't on. _Hmm._

I kicked the covers back and grabbed up my robe, the snazzy dark blue one, slipping into it to tie the belt into a half knot. When I looked across the hall to the kitchenette and the galley, she wasn't there either. _Hmm._ Scrubbing at the back of my neck, I made my way on deck, slowly cresting the stairs as I looked around and tried to find- She sat at the bow wearing her pale-pink, satin pajamas that I had given her as a honeymoon gift. They had long pants, long-sleeves, and a long robe.

Before I knew about the pink teddy.

I stepped on deck and made my way toward her. She didn't hear me come, though. She just continued to sit with her knees up to her chest, arms tight around them, and staring out at the water. She didn't look sad, at least not that I could tell, but I didn't like not knowing what to call the expression on her face.

Not only that, I thought we'd dealt with the stress thing.

I lowered myself down beside her, meeting her small smile with a small one of my own. "Hey, kitten. Couldn't sleep?"

Sally didn't say anything. She only shook her head and then looked back out at the water, releasing a soft sigh that gave me the prickles again. _…the hell?_ Then she scooted a little closer, tucking her legs to her side as she snuggled against me, her arms around my middle.

I stared down at the crown of her head for a long time before shifting my focus out to the water and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "It wasn't the bikinis, was it?" I asked quietly.

Sally sighed before very slightly shaking her head.

_Dammit, Dincht. See what happens when you jump to conclusions!_ I landed in a shit pile. I let out a quick breath. "Is it something we can talk about?"

This time she didn't shake her head, and I could swear that I felt her jaw moving as she worried her lower lip.

"Sally, what's wrong?" I prompted carefully.

And I hoped to Hyne that it hadn't been because of me wanting her so bad and so often. I mean, dude, she was an intense person, yeah, but… come on! This was 'beach bunny'!

She finally whispered, "I don't know how to say it," in a voice hinting at tears.

Just like before.

_Dincht! You jerk-off! What did you do?!_ "Sally…" I lowered my eyes to the crown of her head, but she'd only ducked it down a little more. She only ever did that when she was mega-embarrassed, and the only other time I'd ever seen her like this had… been… _Winhill_? I swallowed hard. _Oh boy._

At Winhill Sally had confessed to not wanting to stop when the kissing had almost flared out of control. She'd confessed that if I hadn't stepped back, she wouldn't have said another 'No'. After so many damned awesome nights and mornings together… Yeah. Yeah, I knew exactly what was wrong.

My insides jerked into a tight wad of guilt. _You prick! It's been too much too soon…_ And now I felt like a damned freak. Only, how did I talk to Sally about something like… like sex?

I let out a quick breath. "I'm sorry, Sally. I…" I scrubbed at my scalp. Sorry for thinking her the sexiest thing on the planet? Sorry for wanting her? Like hell. But sorry for twisting her up in knots? Yeah. Definitely.

"It's not you, Zell," she told me, voice as soft as I had ever heard it.

And I didn't get why she wanted to take the blame for whatever it was that was beating at her. _Sally… Why do you do this to yourself?_ I released a soft breath. "Sally, kitten, it's you and me, like I said before. If one of us has an issue, both have an issue." And I kinda sounded like Sally, which made me feel great.

But when she didn't say anything more, I didn't feel so great. I felt… helpless, and I hated that worse than I hated not being able to protect people.

She sniffed, brushing at her cheek and what I knew to be tears, and twisted the dagger of guilt the other direction. "Geez, Sally, I… I'm sorry. I knew I shoulda given you your week, but I couldn't help myself. You know how I feel about you, and then with the whole way you were kissing me and saying my name like that, I couldn't stop myself then either. I didn't mean to make you feel bad or whatever. I wouldn't do anything like that on purpose, I just didn't know I was going to go like that."

And the way I was gushing made me feel like a real loser.

But when she tightened her arms around me and shook her head, a second sniff even louder, I shut up real quick.

"I-It's not y-you," she said again.

"But it is." I couldn't take not seeing her face anymore, so I took hold of her arms and gently but firmly pressed her back away from me. She kept her face lowered. "Sally, it is me. If something's twisting you up inside, then I'm in that."

I tilted her chin up, but she closed her eyes. And I hated this free-fall feeling, not knowing what to say because I wasn't so sure I knew what the problem was…. I just knew it had something to do with finally being able to make love to her.

Sally finally opened her eyes, tears dropping immediately down her cheeks. Seeing her cry this time choked me up so bad it hurt.

"Dammit, Sally," I said gruffly, "You're my wife. How can I not be in this?"

She did one of those sob-hiccups, which made me feel a complete schmuck, and pulled me into a tight embrace to sob into my neck. I'd never felt twisted up like this before, pulled in 100 different directions so hard I felt like I was going to rip… I tightened my arms around her, not knowing what to say to get her to let me carry whatever was tearing her to pieces.

"It's not fair," she choked between sobs. "All I can think about is what it feels like to be close to you and how you touch me and how that feels and how I like it and want it more… and then I feel guilty because that's all I think about and see in my head… Like I'm some kind of freak or something… I know it's okay for me to want you like that because we love each other and we're married but then I feel bad because I don't want to do anything else but feel you against me and kissing me and… and…" Her voice broke off.

And what the hell could I have said to make her feel better? She had basically explained me for the past nine months. I could only hold her closer, kissing her hair and whispering, "I know, Sally. I know," while hoping something like a bolt of genius would hit me smack between the eyes.

"I want you to say something miraculously insightful to chase all the guilt away," she confessed in a cracked voice, "but I know you can't. Just like I know it's okay for me to want you as much as I do. That it's normal." She sounded a double-hiccup of tears. "That isn't the problem. The problem is in my head. My stupid programming of modesty and moderation! Of not letting things control me!" Another hiccup, this one a triple that made my insides hurt. "That stupid control that saved our relationship is making my life miserable!"

After another few choked sobs, she pushed back and held my pained gaze. "I love you, Zell," she choked out. "I love how I feel when you touch me. How I feel I'm the most beautiful person on the planet when you kiss me. How I don't worry about whether my legs are too short or if my birthmark looks weird when you look at me without a stitch on…" She sniffled, shaking her head as she lowered her face. "I just… I'm just so …scared of how much I feel, and how different it is than what I expected. I… I'm used to…"

I tenderly brushed some tears from her cheek. "You're used to being my shy girl…"

She choked out an "Uh-huh," while slightly nodding.

"Sally…" I let out a deep breath. "Sally, you're still my 'shy girl'. You only didn't know you were 'sexy girl', too."

She sniffled. "…but…"

"But what?"

Sally sniffled again, and this time it had more tears in it. "But you fell in love with 'shy girl', and… and now I…"

When she didn't look up, I held her face in my hands and tilted it gently up. Then I smiled at her. "You think you shocked my boxers off?"

She very slightly nodded.

"Damn straight you did, and I've loved every minute of it. I knew you were sexy and fun all this time, when kissing you could light my hair on fire? Booya!" She flushed crimson and looked down. My smile softened and I lightly kissed her, drawing her eyes. "We'll get through this, kitten. Like I said, I'm not going anywhere. We'll take it how you need to. Slow. Fast. Whatever. You just gotta talk to me."

Sniffling, Sally nodded the same time she whispered a choked, "Okay."

"Now stop crying, Sally," I pleaded as I drew her close. "Please. You're wrecking me."

She nodded again, holding me tight as she whispered, "I didn't know I could love someone this much, Zell."

And, man, did that make me see stars. Why? No one had ever said something like that to me before. Sally was… She was a whole new world for me. One that freaked me out the same time it gave me a rush.

Sally suddenly shivered, and I noticed the temperature had dropped pretty fast. Which usually meant rain. I stood, helping her to her feet. "Come on, Meg. Let's get below-deck. I think the sky's going to start spitting at us."

So, drawing her tight against my side, I led her below. Every step closer to the bedroom, the more tense she got. _Well, I guess the first thing we do is get her to stop being afraid of the bedroom._ I gave her a jostle and sent her an 'It's okay,' smile when she hesitantly peeked up at me.

The fact that she wanted me so much and so often made me feel a whole helluva lot better!

"Here. You slip in here while I get another blanket from the closet. I think I saw a comforter in there."

So while I got the comforter from the closet by her dresser, she slipped out of her robe and crawled under the covers. When I came back, comforter in hand, she looked about as cute and hot as ever as she twirled her wedding band around her finger while worrying her lower lip. _I know, kitten. I'm feeling it, too._ I mean, duh! If it were up to me, we'd stay anchored and in our nothings the entire honeymoon!

I went around to my side, sending her another smile when she glanced my way, and crawled up next to her, adjusting the extra comforter over the both of us. That done, I laid back into the pillows and sent her my most charming smile. Did I have a charming smile? I certainly hoped so.

"Wanna 'smotha lova' your honey?" What made me say it I have no idea, but she giggled, flushing three shades of crimson as she nodded and then snuggled close.

She sighed deep. "All this time I was trying so hard to give you your honeymoon, and now…" She sighed again. "How do I 'just do it', Zell? I don't know how. I… I'm so afraid that you're going to look at me like I'm some horrible person."

"I don't, Sally," I assured her softly, stroking her hair, "and I won't. Ever."

"…promise?"

"Promise."

Sally released a long breath and then snuggled closer, kissing my chest and whispering, "I love you so much, Zellander Hosia Dincht."

"I love you, too, Sally Elizabeth Dincht."

And there I lay, smiling at the ceiling of the master cabin while stroking her hair and feeling as if I ruled the world. Why? Because I kept thinking that I had to be the luckiest dog on the planet. My wife was the Mega-Phoenix, and she wanted me. Booya? No, no, no. Booya wouldn't ever cover this thing anymore.

This was Mega. _Yeah. Mega mega._


	9. Lova Smotha

_**Nine › Lova Smotha ‹**_

I woke the next morning to Sally's smiling face.

She was lying on her tummy while absently biting on the fingernail of her pinkie. When I opened my eyes, she lowered her hand and said, "Good morning," in a soft voice that, to me, sounded like a purr.

_Duuuuuuude…_

What could I do? I grinned, immediately drunk on something. "Mornin, kitten. Whatcha doin?"

Her cheeks flushed, but she didn't look away. "Just watching you sleep."

"Oh yeah?" Why she would want to do that I had no idea. Just like I had no idea why I did the same thing to her. I rolled over onto my side and up onto one elbow. "What for?" Maybe she knew?

"Because I can."

I guess it was the same reason I had for just staring at her, sometimes trying to figure out how I got here. So, I just smiled at her.

She flushed a little darker and lowered her gaze, and after last night it made me wonder what she was thinking. But I didn't ask. "So, whatcha want to do today? Walk around Winhill some more? Maybe actually catch a chocobo? Have a picnic?"

She nodded and sent me a peek. "I really wanted to see the tree fort Marshal told us about."

"Oh yeah!" _Booya!_ "Sure! You want to have breakfast there?"

Sally shook her head, still looking down at her fingers, and sent me another peek.

I smirked and reached out a hand to tuck some of her hair behind her ear. …_duuuuuude… Dincht!_ I lowered my hand and just covered hers, hardest duty of my life, this 'backing off'.

"Um… Zell…"

"Hm?" _I wonder how she gets my name to sound like that?_

"Can… Um, I mean, could we…"

My Mega-Phoenix mind finally focused on her words instead of her mouth. "'Sup, Meg?"

She let out a quick breath before giggling and meeting my gaze. "Lova smotha."

I laughed, still not sure just what it meant but fine with going along with whatever, and reached out to draw her close against me as I leaned back into the pillows. She snuggled and then let out a content breath. _Booya!_

"So… You're really okay with everything, Sally?" I heard myself asking. I didn't even know I was still worried that she was still worried about the whole 'All I can think about is sex' confession she'd made the night before.

She nodded against me. "I just need to get used to Sally Dincht."

I knew I certainly did.

"Just cut yourself some slack, shy girl, and try to turn your brain off sometimes. I don't like the knots in your back."

"I know you don't, and I'm trying to. Really I am." She sighed, deep, as her fingers stroked an absent pattern on my t-shirt that had me seeing stars. "Zell?"

"Hm?"

"Let's not ever stop being newlyweds."

I looked down but couldn't see anything but the top of her head. "Wha?"

"I don't want to ever stop feeling like this, here with you. This happy. This safe. I want it like this every day possible. Forever and ever."

'Forever' with the library girl? It already felt like I'd known her most of my life; seen her face in the hall; heard her in the library; saw her at the cafeteria… "Sure, Sally. You got it."

Come magicite, purists, or terrorist radicals, it was her and me. And I would do my damndest to keep it that way.

Sally let out a deep breath and tightened her arms around me. "Okay," she whispered.

And she sounded like she believed that just because I'd said so, it would happen. She trusted me more than anyone had ever trusted me in my life. Which had me thinking that was one of the reasons I busted my hump to get her what she wanted. Even if she didn't know it.

_Damn straight._

Sally gave me one last squeeze before sitting up and back onto her heels. I laced my fingers behind my head and, you guessed it, just stared at her with a stupid smile on my face. I mean, geez, what else could I do with her in her silk satin PJs that I had bought her, wearing a wedding ring with my name on it, and wearing my last name.

Her cheeks flushed and she giggled, covering her face with her hands and peeking at me from between her fingers. _Booya!_ But I fought back the visions of wrestling, pink teddies, and bunnies and motioned to the shower instead. "You can get dibs. I'm going to veg for a bit."

"Okay." Then she scrambled off the bed and headed for the shower, her step slowing until she halted at the door.

_Dincht, if she asks…_

Sally rested one hand on the doorjamb. "Zell…?"

I sat up. _…oh man…_ "Yeah?"

She finally looked over at me. "Could you…"

_Please, oh please…_

"Could you set the bag with the bikinis inside the door? I… I think I'll try them anyway." She sent me one of those cutesy-hot smiles. "Just for you, though."

Sure visions of showers went right down the crapper, but seeing Sally in a bikini? It was definitely better than nothing! "Sure thing, Meg. No sweat."

Sally fluttered her lashes at me, sending me straight into overload, and then stepped into the safety of the bathroom to close the door. I collapsed back onto the bed with a groan, slapping my hands over my face when I heard the water run. _Swim, Dincht. Now!_

I nodded and scrambled off the bed and out of the cabin, keeping my mind on how we could find more magicite, when I should tell Squall… and how I could take a shower with my wife.

Hey, you've got to have priorities, right?

Remembering I had to get Sally the bikinis before I could go for the swim, I headed for the bikinis' new hiding place in the cupboard behind the main helm. While I was hauling the bag out, I came up with the idea that maybe I could persuade Sally to shower with me if we both wore our swimming things. And she'd offered once to share, but I'd been an idiot and turned her down. _That would so rock._

So, promising myself to not be a jerk-off and push her into it, I trudged downstairs and lightly tapped on the bathroom door. "I've got the bikinis, Meg," I told her, carefully opening the door and not looking inside. Thank goodness the mirror was fogged over. "Want them on the counter?"

I heard the sliding door of the shower and stiffened. _Oh crap._

"No. Can you give them to me? I want to rinse them off before I put them on."

"Oh sure." _Dincht, keep your eyes averted, soldier!_ I opened the door wider, stepping inside while not looking up from the bag as I made like I was searching inside. "Which one did you want? The Balamb Blue one or the pink one? Did you want to wear a different color top with different color bottom, or what?" _Control, soldier! Control!_ But the whole shower room was warm, and steamy, and smelled like Sally…. _Duuuuuuuude…._

"I think I want to do just the blue one… although the pink one was really cute, too. Which one do you want?"

…_none…_ But that wasn't the right answer… at least, I don't think it was. "Um… well…" My brain wouldn't grab the answer, so my hand just reached in and grabbed whatever was there, offering it forward to her while still 'searching' in the bag for another option other than walking into the shower and helping her change.

…

"Can you find the bottoms?" she asked, sounding as innocent as the day I'd met her.

I was about ready to melt through the floor. "Um…" I knew where to find the bottoms, I just also knew that wasn't what she meant. I just didn't know how to get the thought out of my head. I mean, geez!, pink panties!! So, I dug in and hoped I'd found the bottoms, offered them to her, and hoped to Hyne's holy ass that she didn't ask why I was redder than I'd ever been in my life.

If she asked, I'd probably show her.

"Thank you," she said, and I could hear that sexy smile in her voice moments before I heard the too-slow sound of the door closing.

"Sure." And how I sounded calm I have no idea. I mean, I was chasing after my control like a dog chases a slab of steak, wondering if I could ask Sally if I could join her the same time I was wondering if she'd ever ask me to come in. I mean… dude! It sucks being mature! All I could do was stand there, rooted to the spot with my hands gripping the handles of the bag and my eyes afraid to venture outside the bag while my brain couldn't stop listening to her under the spray of water and then the material of the bikini as she rinsed it off… All the while chatting about how she rinsed or washed all the clothes she ever bought before she wore them because of something that had happened to her Aunt once.

…_soldier…. control…_ I slowly blinked when I heard the soft sound of her stepping into the bikini bottoms. "…erm… Sally…?" …_control…_

"Hm?"

"Um… Could, erm…"

"'Could' what, sweetie?"

"Could I-" _Soldier! Down, boy!_ "Um… Well, uh…"

"Silly boy. What's the matter?" she giggled.

The matter was I couldn't get my feet to leave because they only wanted to go forward and not backward and out of the bathroom. _…duuuuude…_

"Oh good. The top fits just right."

…_it fits… Soldier, do it now!_ The bikini bag **splutted** to the floor as I moved forward, sliding back the shower door and stepping inside. Sally squealed, "Zell! What are you doing?!" as I backed her to the wall, a hand pressed against it on either side of her, and grinned down into her wet face. Sure I was taking the brunt of the water, but that was probably the best thing anyway.

"I changed my mind."

Quickly wiping hair and water out of her face, her cheeks redder than ever, she asked, "Changed your m-mind about w-what?"

"Dibs. Me dibs." I wiggled my eyebrows at her, because that was all I could do after the last word. All my others were completely gone.

Sally's jaw dropped as she continued to hold her arms wrapped around her. Then she wrinkled her nose at me and giggled, "Silly boy," before pointing to the shower caddy, a pink bottle, and saying. "There's the shampoo."

I grabbed for it so fast I nearly tripped on my own feet.

Sally giggled again and all I could think was… _duuuuuuude_…. as I showered with my wife.

***

I intercepted Zell's light kiss as we waited in the restaurant lobby for Harry, amazed again at how everything had changed. It seemed like the moment 'Sally Regal' had made the confession to Zell, heard his promise to not think her a horrible person, and then woke to see him still sleeping beside her… she stopped fighting. Stopped arguing. Stopped questioning every little thing. It felt as if Sally Regal had looked down at the wedding band on her finger and then said, _'Oh,'_ as she realized just what exactly it meant.

That wasn't to say I was cured. No way. I still found myself fighting back a lot of feelings and images, biting my lip when his touch to my thigh during a conversation would incite a reaction. But I wasn't… well, I wasn't as guilty. Or… as afraid. I was getting used to how he made me feel. Seeing it as… as the new me. It would just take more 'personal attention' to get completely over it.

Which was fine with me!

I loved Zell so much for his patience. Especially when he did nutty things like stepping into the shower in his t-shirt and boxers. But sharing a moment like that with him touched me more than anything I remembered. The gentle way he had washed and rinsed my hair, how he'd washed my back and arms with soft strokes, standing so close…

Seifer had been right about showers together.

And then the way Zell had wrapped me up in the plush towel, holding me tight against him as he nuzzled my neck? Yes. Definitely a first I would remember and look forward to from then on. I just didn't understand how I had finally made it here: Married to Zell Dincht. I suppose you could call it post-euphoria shock.

Zell gave my shoulders a jostle and pressed his lips against my temple, making me smile. Of course, I felt like I was smiling all the time now. Yet another symptom of this new 'trauma'. One that I wouldn't mind living with for the rest of my life.

"I wonder if we should get a table?" Zell asked. "He's late, and he said he might-"

Harry entered the restaurant then, wearing the same 'cords', sweater vest, and wrinkled dress-shirt that I had seen him wear before. His red hair was a mess, I still hadn't reasoned out if it was intentional, his glasses were a little crooked, and his hands were full of computer cases and notebooks.

"Yo, doc, you're going to pull something," Zell said, chuckling as he stepped forward to retrieve something from Harry's slipping hold.

Harry smiled his thanks, adjusted his glasses, and offered us each a greeting nod. "Sally. Zell. Good evening. Sorry for being late. Conference call ran long."

"They do that a lot, doc?" Zell asked absently, catching the attention of the host and wordlessly requesting a table.

"Hm? Oh. Conferences. Yes, well, I don't recall ever putting a specific number to the occurrence, but I suppose it does happen more often than not. The Foundation has a great many of projects in the works, and then mine isn't the only subsidiary that travels about the globe searching for answers to questions, so they must prioritize and regulate the influx of information, communicating all that's been discovered from other scientists such as myself and then-"

"Doc, doc, doc," Zell laughed, gripping Harry's shoulder, "Like I'm always telling, Sally, Harry. There's no way I can listen that fast."

I giggled, shielding my mouth and shaking my head as I sent Zell a smile.

"Hm? Oh. So sorry."

And I had begun to notice Harry began a lot of his conversations with 'Hm? Oh.' As if he had to persuade his mind and attention back from some place it went on a regular basis so that he could understand what everyone else was talking about. It was kind of cute.

Of course, I thought a lot of people were 'kind of cute'.

Zell gave Harry's shoulder another grip before chucking him on the arm while offering his infamous boyish grin and stating, "No prob, doc." Then he motioned toward the main room of the restaurant where the host waited by a booth in the corner. "They've got something ready. Let's go. I'm hungry. Forgot to eat lunch."

I flushed crimson as Zell wrapped his arm around my shoulders and guided me forward. When I sent him a quick peek, he winked at me.

"Oh? Did the satellite determine the location of more magicite shards?"

My cheeks burned so red I thought I was going to catch on fire. Zell, however, sounded calmness itself as he said, "Nah. Was checking out the sights here and there. Lost track of time."

_Zell…_ I nearly groaned, embarrassed beyond words. The tree-fort had been a little too… perfect. And with 'Sally Regal' staying so quiet in the corner now, 'Sally Dincht' had found it a lot of fun to make-out with her husband.

_Booya!_

…ahem…

"Ah. Yes. I've found myself returning to Winhill quite a few times," Harry volunteered while sitting across from Zell and I at the booth. He placed his computer case onto the table while setting the peripheral equipment case onto the seat beside him. "Mostly as a stop directly between Foundational appointments in order to work on my reports and catalogues. There seems to be a quietness to the atmosphere that invites smoothness of thought."

" 'Smoothness of thought', eh?" Zell looked over at me with that same impish smile I remembered and loved. "That explains a lot, huh?"

"What do you mean?"

"Having no problem with the whole getting together of the security plan and stuff. Knowing what to do and things like that."

I momentarily frowned before giving him a soft punch on the arm. "Zell, for heaven sake. How many times do I have to tell you that you're good at this because you're good at this?"

"Ow! Hey! Leave off the mutilation until we're alone so I can fight back."

Mouth now gaping open, I blinked at him until he winked. Then I complained, "Zellander Dincht!" and punched him again.

He laughed and defended, which resulted in pulling me close against him so that I couldn't move. I didn't really mind and only half-heartedly protested.

I really loved being married.

Noticing that Harry seemed to be off in his own little world while setting up his laptop, I poked Zell in the ribs with a soft scold of "Zell, please behave yourself."

He winked, jostled me, and gave me a light kiss. "Sure thing, Meg. Sorry."

"The Foundation has been extremely excited in the information you've provided regarding the Figaro signet," Harry was saying. "There is a bit of a myth surrounding the family that has incited a great deal of controversy as to whether there is any truth to it."

That instantly grabbed Zell's attention. "Yeah? What do they say about 'em?"

Sending Zell a small smile while thinking _You're so cute when you're interested_, I wrapped an arm around his middle and gave him a squeeze before just resting my head against him. He gave me another jostle and a kiss on the head while still focused on Harry.

"Much of what is known is conjecture, due to the time-line and the multitude of civil and global wars that have resulted in the interim, destroying certain records. However." Harry typed in a few commands into his computer before turning it to a 90-degree angle so that we could all view the information on the screen. "As you can see here, from the artifacts I was able to procure from you and the resulting information, my computer was able to gather quite a bit of information."

"Um…" Zell's arm left my shoulders as he reached out to draw the laptop a bit closer. He grimaced and motioned to the information on the screen with a wave of his hand. "A lot of symbols and numbers, but it's all Ancient Estharian to me."

Harry chuckled. "Well, as a matter of fact there is a resemblance between the Figaro type-set and the base text the Esthar scientific community uses. However, this collection of symbols and numbers aren't writing; they're actually composites and metallurgy tables of that which was used in the formation of the Figaroan artifacts."

I blinked and focused my mind on the information.

"As you can see, I have them listed in a hypothesized chronology of advancement, based on those same composites, etc. Figaro was quite advanced for their age, having the technology for mechanics and power-propulsion when most others were still utilizing the most basic of energies. It's these facts that have the Foundation so intrigued. We've been able to piece together the beginnings of one of the Figaro histories that tells of a collection of weaponry the king had designed and created himself."

"Whoa," Zell said under his breath. "This guy was a brain like you?"

Harry smirked. "Yes, well, we've certain conflicting reports on his character, but he was an intellectual, most certainly. However, mechanical and engineering-based genius is different than the other sciences. So the comparison is impossible to make."

Chuckling while shaking his head, Zell said, "Yeah. I guess," in an amused tone of voice and sent me a smirk.

I smiled at him before focusing back on Harry. "Do you think you might be able to find information about where the other magicite shards might be? I mean, with Queen Terra being so closely involved with the Espers, and therefore the magicite, King Edgar would more than likely keep those kinds of things written down, wouldn't he?"

"That's what the common conjecture has been, yes."

"But you have to wait until the translation of the histories is done," I finished.

"Correct. The Foundation has worked continuously since your discoveries of the varying runes and writings. However, translation is always a slow process, and I'm afraid there won't be a finding of any extreme level for quite a few weeks at the present rate."

Zell frowned. "We don't have that kinda time, doc. We've got to find all those shards as soon as we can. If there's a chance that some radical jerk-off has some and is doing their best to get the magic, we've got to step in."

Harry nodded. "I understand that all too well, and such is the very reason I am prepared to approach Commander Squall and work jointly with him."

Zell blinked and leaned slightly back. "Wha- Really?" he pressed, leaning forward again. "I thought the Foundation doesn't work with Garden."

"There is a time and place for all joint efforts as well as separations." Sending Zell a somewhat lopsided smile, Harry informed, "As you've so aptly stated, we don't have the time to continue a separation. The Foundation reluctantly agreed this morning to my insistence that I be allowed this particular action."

I smiled. "That's wonderful. I know Cmdr. Squall will do his best to help however he can. Even Sub-Lt. Cmdr. Seifer. He doesn't like it when things get out of control."

Zell chuckled. "Yeah. You can say that again."

"I certainly hope so, as I've told the Foundation that I would do my best to make an appointment with Cmdr. Squall this very evening. Hence the reason I shortened the length of the conference call as much as I was able. You see, I need you to initiate the security protocol required for said same meeting."

Zell looked over at me. "We were gonna make the report after dinner anyway, so why not just do a conference call? We'll just wait to have Harry come in until we clear it with Squall."

I nodded, my heart pounding at the excitement of the coming adventure.

"Cool." Zell motioned to me. "Why don't you call up Seifer and let him know about the conference call, let's say for it to be about 1900 hours, as that'll give us about an hour to eat, and then we can get over to wherever we'll have the meeting."

I nodded again, lowering my focus to my purse and the task of finding the hand-held phone as Zell focused again on Harry.

"We'll order some grub while she's setting up the meeting. We'll more than likely just head on back to the _Moon Spinner_, what with it already being secure and stuff."

Harry absently inclined his head as he packed up his computer. "Certainly, certainly."

Retrieving the phone from my purse, I gathered Zell's attention and motioned outside. "I'll go outside and do it. Be right back."

Zell nodded, gave my arm a squeeze, and then I felt him watching me as I left the restaurant to make the phone call. As I input the security code and initiated the scrambling sequence, I had no idea what I was going to tell Seifer in order to have him approve the conference call. I mean, I didn't want to present too much information without Harry and Zell being present because of the fact that we were all involved. On my own, I didn't have all of the information, so I wouldn't be able to answer all his questions.

Worrying my lower lip while trying to convince myself to just _'take it as it goes'_, I typed in Seifer's direct security line and waited for the pick-up. If Seifer wasn't in his office, it would be immediately forwarded to a phone he kept on his person at all times.

Before it picked up or transferred, however, I heard a step behind me that I recognized as Zell's moments before he took the hand-held from me.

"I'll handle this, Sally," he told me as he met my wide-eyed gaze. "I've been leading this half-assed adventure from the first, so there's no reason for you to get blasted." Then he winked, which caused a smile from me, and took hold of my hand just as I heard Seifer's brusque _"Report,"_ on the other end.

I twitched without meaning to and flushed, immediately lowering my gaze when Zell sent me a knowing look.

"Hey, Seif. It's Zell. I need you to set up a meeting for me and Sally with Squall at 1900 hours."

"_Reason?"_

"To keep Hyne's unholy hell from breaking out."

Silence.

I peeked up to send Zell a concerned glance.

He winked again, giving my hand a pressure as he said, "It might even make the difference with some operations you've got going on," he added.

_Operations?_ I knew that I didn't know all of what was going on in the security office, but I generally was involved in some process of a majority of them. _I don't remember hearing anything about an operation that would be effected by this._ And that, of course, had my mind working overtime trying to piece together a puzzle I only had one portion of.

"_You'll need to give me something more, Dincht."_

"I'm not in the know about it all, Seif, but it's important. More important than weird GFs showing up whenever they want." Then his expression grew serious and his eyes focused away from mine. In fact, the look on his face gave me the shivers. "It's no joke, and it could get major real quick."

There was silence yet again before I heard a muttered curse and then an exhalation of breath before Seifer's somewhat sharp, _"Affirmative. 1900 hours it is."_

Zell's smirk returned. "Thanks, Seif. Talk to you then." Then he disconnected the call and presented me the phone.

I absently retrieved it, staring up at him with wide-eyes that must have brimmed with questions.

Zell's smirk altered to his usual boyish smile. "Don't ask, Sally. I can't tell you."

Blinking in surprise, mostly because his comment admitted that there was something going on more than what I knew, I then wordlessly nodded. Security was a life of secrets and not asking the questions you wanted to ask.

I hated it, but it was still my job.

***

I don't remember what we talked about during dinner, mostly because my mind had wandered through my 8 to 9 months with the security station while trying to solve the puzzle of the operation that might have had something to do with these magicite shards. I figured it more than likely had to do with a terrorist faction, mostly because of Zell's extreme reaction when Harry had first told us about the shards. But the only highly dangerous faction had been those involved with the Winhill black-market ring, and they had been disbanded by Ahndra and Marshal several weeks before-hand.

The interrogation of the one remaining member hadn't turned up any information regarding possible splinter factions in other locations, either.

"Hmm." I jabbed a piece of cheese from my salad and absently nibbled the end.

The faction in Winhill had been directly connected to a small group of renegade Galbadian militia members that had broken off during the invasion of Dollet. They had been involved with the rape and murder of Marshal's little sister about the same time that Zell and Squall had their Field Exam. A somewhat eerie coincidence, especially considering that Seifer and Marshal had been friends growing up.

Needless to say, Seifer had been extremely… pleased to have this opportunity for vengeance.

In addition, this same faction of deserters had somehow been able to deter shipments of weaponry from Trabia and Galbadia Gardens to Winhill. _Wasn't there something from Deling?_ I shook my head, frowning. Heavy weaponry didn't find its way to Deling, due to the security risk factor of the candidates and SeeDs stationed there. _But don't they sometimes have personnel from Deling man the trucks that do deliveries from Garden to the storage facilities or vice versa?_

My frown deepened and I skewered another chunk of cheese. _There's always SeeD Security Personnel assigned to those._ I knew, because I was one of the people that approved the security clearance of those responsible. It was highly unlikely that someone I had approved, and whom had also been approved by Seifer and Cmdr. Squall, would be involved in the relocation of weaponry. Especially missiles.

But if I followed the clues, Galbadian free-militia from the Dollet invasion routed by Garden had somehow begun selling Garden weaponry through the black-market. Something like that was just too… too huge to orchestrate without a person inside.

My eyebrows twitched downward as I somewhat firmly set down my fork and then crossed my arms on the table. _But that means they bypassed all our security screenings!_ And that was not going to go over well with Seifer or Cmdr. Squall at all.

Resting my chin on my arm, I released a deep breath. _Was there something I could have seen to warn me about this? Communication? Altered logs? Time discrepancies with the weaponry dispatch caravans?_ But all … had…. I sat up, tilting my head as I stared at my half-eaten salad. _Wait. Wasn't there that communication log between Trabia and Deling that seemed a little odd?_ But I remembered bringing that to Seifer's attention weeks ago. _He would have done something about that if it was anything worth noting._

Sighing, I lowered my head again. "…shoot…" I muttered.

At a soft nudge of Zell's elbow into my side, I gave a twitch and then looked up to meet his lopsided and very adorable boyish smile. I smiled.

"Are you done saving the world in that sexy head of yours so we can go and get ready for the meeting?"

With a nod and a flush, I gathered up my purse and scooted out of the booth. "Sorry."

"Don't sweat it, Meg. Doc and I were having a blast trying to figure out what all your faces meant. I think he got most of 'em right, though. Which means I probably lost out 1000 gil."

Gasping, I looked at Zell with wide-eyes. But when he winked, I laughed and slugged his arm. "Zell Dincht!"

He took the punch and drew me close with an arm around my shoulders as Harry paid the bill, upon his insistence, and then gathered up his computers to follow us out.

"I've my car here," Harry said, motioning to a white vehicle that was a very expensive-looking stationwagon. "I'll take you to the dock in Moor's Head, as we've not enough time before the meeting to walk."

"And you've got too much trash," Zell teased, giving Harry a playful slug on the arm.

"Hm? Oh. Yes. Quite."

That had me sniggering and thinking again how geeky-cute he was. I knew of several girls that would go wild over him.

Zell helped Harry load his gear into the back of the stationwagon, and then loaded me into the front as he took the back passenger seat behind mine. Which, of course, afforded him the opportunity to give me a shoulder rub on our way out of Winhill to Moor's Head.

If there was a conversation, I don't remember what it was.

Once we arrived at the dock, Zell helped Harry unload the things he needed from the stationwagon and hauled a good portion of them to the _Moon Spinner._ Harry and I followed behind.

"I will remain on deck until permission is obtained to meet with your commander," Harry was saying as part of me kept my eye on Zell to make sure he didn't need any help.

"Sub-Lt. Cmdr. Seifer might want to debrief you first," I admitted. "It's something he has a tendency of doing before letting anyone meet with Cmdr. Squall."

"Hm? Oh. Quite honestly, I expected such to be the case. I'm certain your commander is a very busy man, considering he is the one responsible for the synchronization of four Gardens as well as the building of a security station."

Smiling, I nodded. "He does such a wonderful job, too. And never seems to have a harsh word for anyone. At least, not that I've heard anyone say. Of course, Cmdr. Squall doesn't seem to say much at all to anyone. Though his reports are very good. Have you ever read any of his reports?" And I don't know why I wanted Harry to be impressed by Cmdr. Squall. It was the oddest thing to feel a need to bring up a person's good points to another person that wouldn't, or couldn't do anything to change that other person's standing anywhere.

Harry's expression remained serious and somewhat distracted. "As a matter of fact, I've quite a few of his reports regarding Guardian Forces and their effect on the human synapsis. It's an intriguing hypothesis he's presented based on his own experiences and what Garden has commonly accepted as fact."

Harry absently boarded the _Moon Spinner_, turning to watch as Zell helped me aboard, still speaking on his previous subject without missing a word or rhythmic beat.

"In fact, his theory of the near-symbiotic relationship between Guardian Forces and humans has caused quite a stir in many sections of the Foundation. Yet it is quite the intriguing idea, supported by the fact that once a Guardian Force has paired himself, or herself, with a human, another cannot utilize their abilities until the pairing has been ceased. That causes me to wonder how many Guardian Forces there are, considering how many militia throughout the world use magic as a major weapon, and how many humans are able to tap into the magical-aura surrounding our planet much as the Guardian Forces do."

Still speaking, Harry followed us below. "There have also been reports of creatures being called by humans, though those in a certain area still seem to transport to an outside dimension while the called creature utilizes their ability on whatever was targeted. Initially, we believed they were Guardian Forces as well. However, when these people were questioned, they denied any such pairing. Or junction, as you of Garden have classified it."

Zell and I exchanged glances. It sounded a lot like what had happened to me when Cmdr. Squall, Rinoa, Zell, and I had been on the train to Timber and it had been attacked by radicals.

"What'd they say about the whole creature thing coming then?" Zell asked, motioning for Harry to enter the galley.

"To be truthful, those that have performed the 'calling', as we've come to term it, have been young children that have believed the creatures to be their imaginary friends whom battle evil." Harry smiled as he sat at the table and began setting up his computers. "It's been quite the challenge to gather scientifically accurate information from six, seven, and eight year olds. The oldest, I believe, is eleven. They're all under observation at the Foundation in Esthar."

Zell wrinkled his nose. "You've got kids under the scope at that place? Geez."

Harry looked up from plugging in one of the many peripheral devices for his computer, his attention finally seeming to fully focus on Zell. "Hm? Oh. They're free to go at any time, and the families are always in control of the child's coming and goings. How long they stay as a whole. How long they remain in session. Et cetera, et cetera. We've found that cooperation and information is more easily come by when it is acquired voluntarily. Much as your Garden enrollment has altered in years past."

I smiled, and I could tell that Zell was even more impressed by not only Harry, but by the Foundation.

Focusing again on his computer, Harry made the final connection and then stood. "I seem to be ready, and as it's only five minutes before the appointed time, I believe I will go on deck and take a moment or two to mentally prepare myself for the meeting." He smiled and nodded to each of us before leaving the galley and going on deck.

I giggled, shaking my head as I sat on the couch and gripped the seat. "He's so cute."

Zell smirked as he leaned back against the table. "Whatever. I still haven't figured out how old the guy is, and it's driving my crazy. One sec I think he's the same age as me, and then he goes and does something that makes me think he's at least 30. He's all messed up, everywhere."

Laughing, I shook my head again. "No he isn't. He's eccentric. Like everyone is in their own way. Me, you, Selphie, all of us."

"Yeah. I guess you're right. He's going to drive Seifer nuts, though. You know he will."

"Why?"

Zell's smirk twitched. "'Cause the guys clueless about stuff other than what's going on in his head. I don't think Seifer's going to be able to push a single button."

I grimaced. "If someone has a button, Seifer will find it."

Zell laughed. "Yeah. You're probably right."

My internet phone threatened an incoming call. So, Zell released a deep breath and straightened before taking up the phone from the table and sending me a 'Here it goes' look.

I stood and moved to sit in the chair nearest Zell, taking his hand in mine to give it a squeeze.

"_Hi, Zell,"_ Cmdr. Squall greeted.

"Heeeeey. Got the man himself. Sweet."

Cmdr. Squall chuckled. _"Well, I figured that since you were calling on a security issue while on your honeymoon, it was more than a normal security hiccup. I don't have anything else scheduled for the rest of the evening, so there's no rush."_

"Thanks, Squall. I appreciate it. Say, is Seif there? He's going to want to be in on this, too."

"_Yes. We're in his office on speaker phone."_

"Oh good." Zell gave my hand a squeeze, but didn't meet my gaze. "Well… Geez. It's hard to know where to start." Then he released a quick breath, gave my hand another pressure, and shrugged. "I guess I just dive in. Alright. Well, day one we found a treasure chest…"

Lightly clasping Zell's hand in both of mine, I continued to smile up at him as he told the story of our adventure as only Zell could tell it: With passion. I only heard a couple of curses from Seifer when he got to the part where we met Harry and used the satellite to find the shards, but mostly there was silence.

Then Zell told Cmdr. Squall that Harry wanted to work with Garden to help find the rest of the shards and posed the fated question, "So, what do you think?"

There were several minutes of muted silence - the kind that came when someone hits the 'mute' button on a speaker phone - and then I could have sworn I heard a door slam.

"_Sorry, Zell. Seifer's off to arrange a conference with Galbadia, Trabia, and Deling security chiefs. Is Dr. Tahlson there now?"_

"Yeah. He's up on deck. You want me to get him?"

"_No, that's alright. Why don't you have him come to Balamb Garden next Monday. Be sure to have him check in with Seifer before going anywhere else. We'll begin organizing the search using all of the Network satellites as soon as we can get it all arranged."_

"Sure thing, Squall." Zell sent me a quick glance. "Say, Squall, can you promise me that Sally won't get it from Seifer for using the satellite? It was my idea."

I protested, but he muted the mic and sent me the sternest look I'd ever seen. "I'm the ranking officer, Sally, so it's my ass. Not yours," he hissed.

"But, Zell! It wasn't your idea," I protested.

"I gave the go ahead, so it's my ass! If no one gets written up, then I'll make sure I put the full story in the report. But until I know for sure that Seifer's not going to go Bahamut, it's all me. Okay?"

To my surprise, I frowned and skulked back in the chair as I crossed my arms. "…fine…" I mumbled, not liking the idea of him getting in trouble when it was my suggestion.

Zell unmuted the mic, still watching me. "Yeah, Squall, I know about the whole classified thing and stuff, but there wasn't any way else to get what we've gotten. We had to do something as fast as we could, especially when Harry told us about the whole 'not needing to be junctioned' thing to use magic. They've only got to wait the weeks or whatever for them to learn the magic. And I made sure we used a satellite that wasn't being used somewhere else. And it wasn't like we had it locked. If someone had needed to use it, they coulda reprogrammed the coordinates without a problem."

"_Zell, I didn't mean it that way. I just mentioned the fact the satellite is classified because you're supposed to file a report with Seifer any time a classified piece of equipment is used. Of course it's fine. Like you said, the satellite was 'off-duty' and not scheduled to be used for another five weeks. And since Sally was there, I'm sure she made sure there wasn't any malicious programs in the software you used, whatever it was. Just make sure you both file a report when you get back, and I'll make sure I retroactively date the approval."_

Zell grinned and sent me a wink, which, unfortunately, negated my pout and had me sounding a soft giggle. "Cool, Squall! Thanks."

"_No problem. I need to go talk to Selphie about setting some diplomatic talks in motion with this Foundation, so you and Sally just take your honeymoon and don't do any other classified adventuring. Okay?"_

And I could hear the amusement in his tone.

"Hey, it's been fun!"

"_Zell…"_

"Aw man. Come on. Just a couple more days? We got a blip over by the orphanage that I want to check out. Then I promise: We're done."

"_Alright, but only because you're so close to that location anyway. After that, you contact Seifer or me before going to another location. If one of the radical groups has figured out the location of these shards, I don't want you and Sally going in without back-up."_

"Sure thing, Squall. No prob."

"_Okay. Well, have fun."_

Zell's grin grew to be his usual lopsided boyish smile that had me seeing stars. "You know it. Later, dude." Then Zell terminated the call and set the phone behind him before crossing his arms and leaning once more against the table. "Piece of cake."

I forced my frown back, my arms crossed the same as his. "I'm mad at you, Zellander."

"Oh yeah?" His smile twitched. "We need to take this outside?"

I scoffed and looked away so that I wouldn't break out into a fit of giggles.

Zell chuckled and straightened, reaching out to pull me to my feet and then settle his hands on my hips. It had to be the most glorious feeling in the world. "So… What can I do to make the kitten stop spittin at me?"

I adjusted my crossed arms as I continued to 'frown' off to the right side. "Don't ever do something like that again. When I make a suggestion that might jeopardize my career, you let me take my share of the responsibility." I sent him a quick glance to catch his softly smiling expression. "I'm a SeeD Security Officer, so I know what I'm doing the same as you."

"Okay," he said, voice serious. "I promise I won't do that again."

I let go of the frown and smiled up at him, arms and hands going up around his neck. "Okay."

Zell chuckled. "You're too easy to please, Meg."

"Nuh-uh."

"Yeah you are. You just don't know it." He kissed me briefly on the lips. "But that's okay. I like things easy. Being a SeeD is hard enough. I don't need 'hard' at home, too."

_Home._ It sounded better than it ever had before. Sending Zell a silly smile, I adjusted my arms around his neck and said, "Lova smotha" in a silly voice that had him laughing and then doing just what I wanted him to.

Drawing me even closer and hiding his face in my neck to whisper "Booya!"


End file.
